Six Members Withdraw From Waters Probe
“I am writing to request the appointment of six substitute members,” said Bonner, a Republican congressman from Alabama.
The ethics committee hired outside counsel Billy Martin in July of 2011 to review the case after multiple reports of possible improper communication among committee attorneys and lawmakers on the panel.
After interviewing current and former Ethics Committee members and staff, as well as assessing “tens of thousands of pages of documents,” Martin recommended that leadership and four sitting members recuse themselves from the inquiry.
Recusal recommendations were not expected to occur until Martin completed his review, but because “one necessary witness refused to appear voluntarily” and planned to exercise Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination when subpoenaed to testify, Martin was compelled to “advance that timing.”