Bob Ney stepping down from his leadership position:
Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) announced yesterday he will temporarily relinquish his chairmanship of the House Administration Committee, which oversees lobbying, as the corruption investigation into former lobbyist Jack Abramoff moves deeper into the workings of Congress.
Ney has repeatedly said he has done nothing wrong, but in a plea agreement this month, Abramoff said he and his business partner, Michael Scanlon, had showered the six-term lawmaker with lavish trips, campaign funds and gifts in exchange for a number of favors for Abramoff clients. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), facing growing concern that the Republican leadership has been slow to respond to the bribery and corruption scandal, began pressuring Ney about his chairmanship in recent weeks.
“I have done absolutely nothing wrong and I am convinced that I will be vindicated completely at the end of this difficult process,” Ney said in a statement. “Unfortunately, it has become clear to me in recent days that the false allegations made against me have become a distraction to the important work of the House Republican Conference and the important work that remains ahead for the House Administration Committee.”
Of course, he is completely innocent and will one day return to his leadership role. Just like Tom DeLay. The Democrats and the media should be ashamed of themselves for what the yare doing to these great men.