Green's election year miracle

An AP story in the Wisconsin State Journal today takes a look at Rep. Mark Green's voting history on ethics reform. The story correctly points out that Green has changed his tune on ethics since he decided he was running for governor. And then the hilarity begins.

When the reporter asked Green about his votes in 2003 and 2005 for the Republican House rules bills that actually weakened the ethics rules, Green said he opposed the bill but voted for it because without a rules bill the House couldn't function. Oh the calamities he said would happen without those bills passing. Committees couldn't meet. Hearings couldn't be held. Votes couldn't be taken.

That's kind of the point though isn't it? The House shouldn't have been functioning under weakened ethics rules. It would have been better to shut it down. A congressman that really cared about ethics more than his party surely would have voted to shut the House down.

Then the reporter asks Green about his vote to change the rules that let Rep. Tom DeLay keep his leadership position even though he had been indicted for a crime related to his office. And wouldn't you know it, Green was against that rule change too.

But he couldn't seem to find the "no" button when he went to vote that day. He says he voted to keep DeLay in office because they added some language requiring members to vote on removal. Nice try. Voting to change the rules to allow DeLay to stay in office WAS the vote on removal and Green blew it.

In 2004 Green voted against a motion to set up an investigation into DeLay activities. He claims he voted against this because the committee already had the authority to do an investigation. Except the House Ethics Committee run by Green's colleagues didn't investigate anything. Ever. Not DeLay. Not now-jailed Rep. Duke Cunningham. Not anything.

Green also voted against the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. Twice. He's got an excuse for that one too. He claims he supported something stronger but a spokeswoman for a DC congressional reform group said the bill he supported was not a credible bill. In other words, it was never going to be taken up and voted on and Green knew it so he felt he could put his name on that bill and vote against the reform on the floor.

And then: (cue the music) ALLELUIA!!

He sees the light! He sees the light! He starts to break rank with his party and vote on real reform.

An election year miracle!

But it's one no one should believe. His past voting record alone should tell people he is not serious about reform. And if Green was even half serious about reforming politics, he wouldn't be trying to take in over twice the amount of PAC money allowed by state law.