'Prosecution would focus the mind on the ethical problem'

House holds hearing on MMS scandal; Kempthorne recommends ethics training 6

On Thursday the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the MMS scandal currently providing humorists with so many drilling puns. Pelosi's blog has an account of the hearing. (See also E&E News, $ub req'd.)

The most amusing part was the righteous performance from Rep. George Miller, particularly this exchange with Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne:

Kempthorne: "... I would like to initiate an outreach program so we do sit down and we go through this with the corporations so they know exactly what the rules are."

Miller: "They know what the rules are ... they know what ethical behavior is and isn't ... they just apparently have chosen not to participate. We're gonna take big grown up and successful people and we're gonna give them ethics lessons? I don't get it. I suspect that prosecution would focus the mind on the ethical problem -- as opposed to a DVD. I just don't understand it."

Aw, I think Kempthorne's right: how could oil company execs know that plying public officials with cocaine and hookers in exchange for favors was against the rules? They don't tell you this stuff in business school.

Here's Miller:

David Roberts is staff writer for Grist. You can follow his Twitter feed at twitter.com/drgrist.

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  1. Russ Posted 6:05 am
    19 Sep 2008

    Yup.....Yup, that's right-wingers for you.
    Their standard position is self-evident "absolute morality" and "law and order", and anyone who would suggest there's anything more to it is just a weenie liberal.
    But let the moral and legal violations be uncovered among their own operatives, and suddenly they turn into mushy bleeding hearts:
    They need ouuuuuutreeeeeeach, they need traaaaaaining, they need heeeeeeelp....  

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  2. MAD MAC Posted 3:34 pm
    19 Sep 2008

    Actually Russ, it cuts both waysWhether from the political left or right one thing you can count on from politicians is hypocrisy. Politicians are evil scum, always were, always will be. But unfortunately for us, they are a necessary evil. At the polls we can do our best to vet the good from the bad - or the less bad from the really bad. It's never easy.
    But your point on the hypocrisy of political leadership (and it's a world wide phenomenon) is well taken.

    Victory in Pattani

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  3. archigeek Posted 12:55 am
    20 Sep 2008

    T & FI'm tellin' ya, a little tar and feathering would go a long way. Oh, and perhaps if we bring back public shaming. Somewher along the lines of what johns experience in some juridictions when they are caught trying to engage the services of that attractive lady on the corner...or the one down the street...or in the "escort" addy.

    The mellotron is your friend.

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  4. GonzoDon Posted 1:35 am
    20 Sep 2008

    Ethics trainingI suggest a series of case-studies:


    Julie MacDonald

    Jack Abrahmoff

    Italia Federici

    Alberto Gonzales

    Donald Rumsfeld

    Harriet Meyers

    Stephen Griles


    It is only by pure coincidence these are all Republicans.  Pure coincidence, I tell ya.

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  5. MAD MAC Posted 1:51 am
    20 Sep 2008

    It won't make a differenceHistorically, there is no example of a political system in which we end up with only good, honest politicians. We could do a lot worse than our current system - indeed most countries are.

    Victory in Pattani

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  6. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 2:57 am
    20 Sep 2008

    How do you know whena politician is lying? His lips are moving.

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

    Permalink

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