Bob Wise: “the Speaker of our House is an intelligent person. He is a student of history. He has been a professor of history and…”

“the Speaker of our House is an intelligent person. He is a student of history. He has been a professor of history and indeed he has helped write a lot of recent history. He knows well the historical precedent to avoid even the semblance of conflict or impropriety. Now the House and the House Ethics Committee faces an important question on ethical violations-- Questions concerning the activities of GOPAC under the control of the Speaker; questions concerning possible conflicts of interest with a book deal and a publisher who might have involvement and interest before this body. Despite promises that the Ethics Committee would approve any signing of a book deal, the Speaker went ahead and signed it, anyway, and then received a letter from the Ethics Committee saying you should not make any assumptions about our signing or approving that conduct. In previous high-profile cases, 22 out of 46 since 1968, an outside counsel has been appointed including for the most recent Speaker under investigation, Speaker Wright. Today the Ethics Committee is deadlocked on partisan lines. Historical precedent is clear here--avoid even the semblance of a conflict. I would urge the appointment of an outside counsel.”