Newt Gingrich is not the most ethically questionable legislator

Jill Dellamalva is the typical victim of mainstream media misinformation.

To equate ethic charges Newt Gingrich pled "guilty" to, with the scandal fraught administration and the criminal behavior of past and present House members stretches the boundary of ludicrous.

Newt funded a video tape college course show with contributions funneled through a previously inactive AND empty tax exempt foundation. Nothing wrong with that! If there were, Democrats would have to say good-bye to the Democrat Leadership Council, Sierra Club, and other such organizations. He did not dupe people into funneling money into his political organization. Newt's did make a mistake by not reading all of the 50,000 documents he was ordered to furnish the committee.

The Speaker did nothing for financial gain and his misdeeds were, contrary to the media, not criminal. The same cannot be said for some of those in pursuit of Newt since he became Speaker.

Let's talk Richard Gephardt, he who would be Speaker had Democrats not become the House minority party.

His hands were slapped a couple of years ago for very serious, IRS type violations and for furnishing the ethics committee with "inaccurate" documents.

After correcting his documents, twice, Mr. Gephardt was let off with a stern lecture.

In these times of higher ethical standards, should the investigation of the Minority leader be reopened?

An ethics investigation of David Bonior, the man who has relentlessly hounded Gingrich since Jan. 1995, might lead off with a charge similar to nepotism. Seems Mr. Bonior has a women as his chief of staff. Due to what must have been some really extraordinary work, his chief of staff was rewarded a hefty pay raise. Soon after, surely to show her appreciation, the woman became Mrs. Bonior.

Jim McDermott, an ethics committee member until he resigned last week, could be facing felony charges for leaking the contents of an illegally recorded cell phone conservation to The New York Times. Mr. Bonior could also be implicated. At this time, the justice department is investigating.

Yet Newt Gingrich was ordered to pay $300,000 for his, in comparison, almost trivial violations. The Machiavellian in me thinks Republicans have intentionally raised the ethics standard to a new high.

Those, Democrats most likely, charged with violations in the future will face censure or expulsion.