The Democratic double standard

Remember all the talk by Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean of cleaning up Washington if voters elected a Democratic majority to Congress? Voters bought into it hook, line and sinker, giving Democrats control of both the House and Senate for the first time since 1994.

The Democrats have a dilemma on their hands and we will soon find out how hypocritical the Democratic Party is when it comes to ethics.

Last weekend, Louisiana voters re-elected Rep. William Jefferson to Congress. Jefferson is the nine-term congressman who allegedly hid $90,000 in bribe money in his freezer, according to the FBI.

Voters in arguably the most corrupt state in the nation don't have a problem with congressmen who put their bribe money on ice. Granted, Louisiana Democrats are the dumbest voters in the country. How else do you explain New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin or Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco?

Jefferson's re-election will cause severe problems for the national Democratic Party. Although he hasn't been charged with any crime yet, Jefferson hasn't explained what $90,000 in cash was doing in his freezer.

Where is the outrage by Democratic Party leaders about Jefferson? Why no calls for his resignation? Why no demand for investigations? Why isn't the liberal media hounding Jefferson like they did Tom Delay and Karl Rove?

It will be interesting to see how the Democrats deal with Mr. Jefferson since the party spent all of 2006 complaining about the "culture of corruption" under Republican leadership.

Soon-to-be Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has vowed to make this "the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history."

On Tuesday, Pelosi sat down for an interview with Barbara Walters, who named Pelosi the "most fascinating person of 2006."

The topic of corruption came up and Pelosi once again vowed to "drain the swamp in Washington, D.C."

Pelosi told Walters that cleaning up Congress is her No. 1 priority.

"Until we bring integrity to the political process, we won't be able to go forward," Pelosi said. "It's a big, dirty swamp. That's why the very first day of Congress, we will break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

And what about Mr. Jefferson and the $90,000 found in his freezer? That subject didn't come up during the Walters' interview, which was the typical fluff piece Barbara does with celebrities and assorted liberals.

How will Mrs. Pelosi deal with Mr. Jefferson and the bag of frozen cash? Will she shun Jefferson? Will she force him to resign? Don't bet on it.

Republicans have a track record of taking care of their ethically challenged members. You don't have Tom Delay or Bob Ney in Congress anymore. But you still have Democrats William Jefferson, John Murtha and Alcee Hastings in Congress because Democrats refuse to clean up their own messes.

Why isn't the liberal media jumping all over the Jefferson scandal or Pelosi's unwillingness to deal with corruption in her own party?

Pelosi is too busy redecorating her new office to realize it, but the Jefferson scandal and the ongoing hypocrisy of the Democrats will be remembered by voters in 2008 when Republicans will regain control of Congress.