Dems Try to Manage Stream of Scandals

Democrats have suffered from a string of scandals reminiscent of the corruption that plagued the GOP before the party lost the majority in Congress four years ago.
Though Democrats appear to have taken some important lessons from 2006, when they rode to victory on the “culture of corruption” attacks against Republicans, their response may not be enough to spare them the same fate as the GOP.
“They need tougher ethics rules now, no ifs, ands or buts,” said Democratic strategist Doug Schoen. “And they need to make sure the electorate understands that wrongdoing will not be tolerated.”
Democrats stumbled on following their zero-tolerance message, and Republicans have wasted no time tagging them with the corruption label.
“Speaker Pelosi famously promised the most open, honest and ethical Congress in history, yet here we go again,” House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters last week, agreeing there are “similarities” between the Democratic troubles of 2010 and the GOP’s problems in 2006.
Dozens of Democratic seats are already considered vulnerable in November thanks to a sour economy and public disapproval of the Democratic agenda. Add to that brew embattled , Rep. Charlie Rangel, D- N.Y., who is under investigation by the House ethics committee.

Read more: (Susan Ferrechio, “Dems Try to Manage Stream of Scandals,” The Washington Examiner, 03/07/10)