Representatives argue over use of ‘socialist’ to describe members of Congress, progressive budget plan

Democratic members of Congress balked at being called socialists during a debate on Friday over the Republicans’ proposed budget and the Progressive Caucus’ proposed budget. Republican Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama accused the progressives in Congress of being socialists who are putting America “at risk.” Rep. Keith Ellison asked that More…

GOP Leaders Won’t Say Whether They Plan to Kill the Office of Congressional Ethics

The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), an independent agency established in 2008 by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to launch investigations into congressional improprieties and make recommendations to the House Ethics Committee, seems to be performing its duties so well that it might just be out of a job. The Hill More…

Why Are the Rangel and Waters Hearings Happening Now?

The Ethics Committee has known about Rep. Charlie Rangel’s (D-N.Y.) violations since September 2008 and Rep. Maxine Waters’s (D-Calif.) misdeeds since June 2009, so why is it only making its findings available now? That’s the legitimate question that Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, More…

Waters Makes Her Case to the Media

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is sitting down with reporters today at 10 am to defend herself against charges brought against her by the House Ethics Committee. At the meeting, the congresswoman will hand out a detailed memo explaining why the allegations of a conflict of interest — for helping More…

House Ethics Committee Releases Details on Charges Against Waters

Today, the House Ethics Committee released a number of documents related to the three charges against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), accused of working to further a Treasury bailout for a bank with ties to her husband.

Lunchtime Links

Obama defends “coked-up stimulus monkeys.”

Henry Waxman won’t mind if the “difficult” Dems lose reelection.

Next Michelle Obama will be telling us to eat cake.

Conservatives argue Prop 8 ruling shouldn’t count because the judge is gay.

Jeff Sessions won’t More…

Waters Faces Ethics Trial Over Bank Bailout

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) will face a House ethics trial over allegations that she intervened to encourage the bailout of a bank her husband owned stock in. Waters sits on the House Financial Services Committee, and is the head of its housing and community opportunity subcommittee.

The More…

Baker Argues for Right-to-Rent

With the Home Affordable Modification Program faltering in its effort to stem the foreclosure crisis, Dean Baker, the co-chair of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, argues for a simple and free way for Congress to aid banks and underwater homeowners.

Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Housing More…

Geithner Denies He Wants Bailout Authority

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who’s testifying this morning before the House Financial Services Committee on legislation empowering the White House to take over Wall Street firms when their failure threatens the finance system on the whole, just made a curious claim. Asked by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) whether More…

Mortgage Servicers Bought Loans Blindly

Here’s a fascinating exchange between Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Financial Services subpanel on housing, and Mary Coffin, executive vice president of Wells Fargo‘s mortgage servicing division, during yesterday’s hearing to examine how effectively the administration’s voluntary mortgage modification program is preventing foreclosures. (More…