Are you sick and tired of the culture of corruption in Washington? So are we. Did you know that Rep. Bartlett actually voted to weaken House Ethics Rules? That's right, he is part of the problem.

On Jan 4, 2005, Rep. Bartlett voted Yay on roughly party lines to weaken House Ethics Rules so that beleaguered speaker Tom Delay could keep his speakership if indicted in the state of TX. Delay, who had already been admonished 3 times for Ethics violations, was spared further humiliation while the country suffered from his corruption.

In another display of his colors, Rep. Bartlett voted Nay on a measure that would have prohibited house members from negotiating job deals with lobbyists after they leave office. For example, as chairman of the Energy and Commerce panel, Rep. Tauzin (R-LA) was a key drafter of a Medicare prescription drug bill and now is PhRMA's top lobbyist making millions. What cushy job will Rep. Bartlett have after leaving office because of his vote?

That's right, Bartlett voted for a measure that would allow Rep. Delay to maintain his leadership even if indicted and made it practically impossible to have meaningful ethics investigations, and voted against reforms that have the potential to bourgeon his already considerable personal fortune once he retires. If this isn't unethical, I don't know what is. Not so long ago, they used to say being elected to Congress was was a matter of personal character. It now seems that if you can use your political connections and elected position to guarantee yourself a sinecure position, character is a secondary consideration. It's no wonder the House is where it is today. How can you trust a man that is only looking out for his own millions and actively pursues a course of weakening ethics? It's time for a change.