Pelosi's DCCC Head, Ben Ray Luján, Is Under Investigation By The Ethics Committee

Ben Ray Luján is a pretty mediocre and unaccomplished congressman. For a guy in a perfectly safe seat, he sure has a nothing-burger of a voting record. Progressive Punch grades him a "D"-- better than an "F," but... come on. The district gave Obama a 57.5% to 38.7% win over Romney and even a weak candidate like Clinton managed a 51.8-36.7% win over Señor Trumpanzee. The PVI is D+8. Ben Ray's been in Congress since 2009 and hasn't accomplished anything at all. The former blackjack dealer's lifetime crucial vote score is around 80. He's never faced a difficult election battle... but leave it to Pelosi, who was determined to find a Hispanic to head the DCCC-- one who would heed her every command-- to appoint him to lead the fatally flawed organization when the spectacularly failed Steve Israel was finally forced to retire. Luján is one of the last remaining Democrats who still takes blood money from the gun manufacturers and their lobbyists.

Have you noticed any DCCC e-mails whining and wailing about how the evil, vile, contemptible, crooked Señor Trumpanzee hides his tax returns from public scrutiny? So does the chairman of the DCCC. Monday, the House Ethics Committee-- at the recommendation of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics-- announced they are investigating complaints that is Luján refusing to release his own tax returns. A Roll Call article on Monday, noting that many congressmemebers refuse to release their returns, focused on Luján because of the obvious high-profile hypocrisy. The article points out that he had posted that "transparency is a cornerstone of democracy" on his Facebook page. For others, apparently... but not for him.

Members of Congress should be held to a different standard, his spokesman said.

“Unlike individuals seeking the presidency, there is no tradition or precedent that necessitates the release of a member’s tax returns,” spokesman Joe Shoemaker said. “If Congressman Luján decides to run for President, CQ Roll Call will be among the first to whom we release his tax returns.”

...The reluctance among members of Congress to release their own tax returns raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. And it prevents voters from learning more about members’ personal financial decisions that could affect how they vote.

Republicans are unlikely to complain too much about Luján not releasing his taxes, since very few of them do either.