In 1994, the Republicans created their "Contract With America". One of the purposes of the Contract was "To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves."

Why did they write that?

Because at the time, there were many GOP complaints about Democrat Dan Rostenkowski who was maintaining his post (Chairman of Ways & Means Committee) after an indictment, as well as other scandals and investigations into (mostly Dem) Congressmen.

And one of the things the Republicans did once they became the congressional majority was pass Congressional rules requiring a leader to step aside temporarily if indicted on a felony charge that carries a prison term of two or more years. A separate rule applied to committee chairmen.

From today’s Washington Post:

House Republicans proposed changing their rules last night to allow members indicted by state grand juries to remain in a leadership post, a move that would benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, according to GOP leaders.

Rrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiippp goes the Contract.

The GOP establishment simply has no moral compass. A bunch of ethical hyprocrites.