Demos Seek Report From Ethics Panel On Gingrich Probe Resolution Will Question The Lack Of An Outside Counsel

Ensuring a new round of partisan discord over the House investigation of Rep. Newt Gingrich, two Democrats said Thursday they’ll try to force the ethics committee to explain why an outside counsel has not been hired.

Rep. Harry Johnston, D-Fla., called his resolution - which would be voted on next week - “a special test” for the 73 freshman Republicans, many of whom campaigned on the need to restore integrity to the House.

Rep. Douglas “Pete” Peterson, D-Fla., is cosponsor of the resolution, which also requires a report by Nov. 28 on the status of the inquiry and a timetable for committee action.

The committee’s senior Democrat, Rep. James McDermott of Washington, said the resolution “seems like a reasonable request.” But Chairman Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., opposed the measure, saying it was “very bad precedent” to force the committee to reveal its private deliberations.

Rep. Roger F. Wicker, R-Miss., president of the freshman class, rejected the resolution as a test case, adding: “It strikes me as a purely political move. I think the charges are completely baseless and politically motivated.”

The 10-month ethics committee inquiry has been a partisan lightening rod.

If nothing else, a House debate on the resolution next week would serve to remind Americans that an ethics case hangs over Gingrich while he’s deciding whether to run for president.

If the measure wins approval, the report could be provided just weeks before the speaker is expected to announce his decision.

Gingrich has blamed embittered Democrats for complaints accusing him of ethical wrongdoing in a number of areas: a college course he taught; the contract for his best-selling book; extensive, free air time by cable television networks; and promotion of the toll-free telephone number for his political organization in House floor speeches.

While the committee has used its own staff to investigate the book deal and other complaints, the panel has interviewed potential outside counsels to probe complicated questions involving the college course.

A complaint contends that the class - taught at two Georgia colleges and beamed around the country on satellite hookups and cable television - was improperly financed with tax-deductible contributions.

The complaint, by former Democratic Rep. Ben Jones of Georgia, said the course was not an educational activity but part of the fund-raising arm for Gingrich’s political organization. Gingrich has consistently denied that the course had a political purpose.

The resolution by Johnston and Peterson, two lawmakers not seeking re-election, said they would introduce a “privileged resolution” on Tuesday - a measure that must be considered within two days.

Johnston said Republicans would be certain to counter with a move to table the resolution - a procedure that would amount to defeating it.