GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Refer Barney Frank to House Ethics Committee

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As we read yet again of Barney Frank’s grandstanding over executive salaries while remaining silent over his own cozy relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, I recall Mr. Frank has an ethics problem which Congress has yet to investigate.

As you may recall, while the Massachusetts Democrat served on the House Banking Committee in the 1990s (now the House Financial Services Committee which he chairs), he was living with Herb Moses, then an executive at Fannie Mae, a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) regulated by his committee.  Since a heterosexual Congressman would have stepped down from a committee if it regulated the industry where his wife worked, a gay Congressman should step down in similar circumstances.

Frank led Democratic efforts to thwart reforms of Fannie and its sister GSE, Freddie Mac.

So, learning of Frank’s outrage over AIG, I decided to do something I had intended to do when the Democrat’s conflict of interest came to light, write to my Congressman, Henry Waxman, asking him to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee.

I just mailed (and e-mailed) the letter and encourage you to contact your federal representatives and ask them to do the same.  I include a copy of my letter below the “jump.”

To ignore this matter, would, as I have written previously, be tantamount to downgrading gay relationships.

The Honorable Henry Waxman
United States House of Representatives
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.  20515

Dear Congressman Waxman:

As you may know, during the 1990s, your colleague Barney Frank had a partner, Herb Moses, who helped make policy for Fannie Mae at the same time Frank, then a member of the committee he now chairs (then the House Banking Committee). This was a clear conflict of interest. (In case, you’re not aware of this story, I include a copy of one of the few articles to address it.)  Had Congress treated gay relationships as it does straight ones, Mr. Frank would have been asked to resign from the committee.

Given how frequently Mr. Frank has thwarted proposed legislative reforms of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there is some evidence that his relationship with Mr. Moses may have caused the Massachusetts Congressman to dismiss concerns about the financial soundness of those two government sponsored enterprises.

If you believe we should hold gay relationships to the same standards as we hold straight ones, you will refer this matter immediately to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and request that Mr. Frank step aside as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee until the Ethics Committee completes its investigation.

To fail to investigate this conflict of interest would be tantamount to downgrading gay relationships.  To respect the relationships and ideals of relationship of your gay constituents, including myself, you must immediately refer Mr. Frank’s conflict to the Ethics Committee.

I look forward to your response.  Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

B. Daniel Blatt

Comments

  1. Since a heterosexual Congressman would have stepped down from a committee if it regulated the industry where his wife worked, a gay Congressman should step down in similar circumstances.

    Unless he’s a liberal.

    Maybe we’ll see how far demands for “equality” actually goes.

  3. Gee, Mark, I said the same thing on this blog a few weeks ago when the “Does Barney have any ethics” question first arose.

    Dan suggests: “… when the Democrat’s conflict of interest came to light, write to my Congressman, Henry Waxman, asking to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee.”

    Hey good luck with that, Dan; Waxman’s lack of ethics and political pandering makes Barney look like a priest.

    Ooops, bad choice of comparison, eh? Makes Barney look like a bastion of morality.

  5. Dan,

    I copied, modified and sent this letter off to my congressman, Jerry McNerney.

    First off, I can not begin to understand why a congressman would make his web site so user unfriendly. I had to know the subsidiary zip code number for my local zip code before I could even hope to post an email to him. Guess he’s tired of hearing from us.

    BTW, great letter. You are exactly right, if we want equal treatment, we have to demand equal treatment, even if it is prosecution for crimes.

  6. I dunno. My Rep seems to be busy running for Fl. AGCOMM. I may e-mail it and put it on his Facebook wall as well.

    A good question for the WH oughta be whether or not it’s appropriate for the Press Sec. to state that a former VP is a member of a “cabal” and/or to state that he’s not worth getting advice from.

    Gibbs needs to pack his shit and go. He should take the blithering idiot mouthpiece from DOS with him.

  8. Bahney Fwank is no different from any other two-faced liberal. Screaming for equality in every area that benefits him, but giving himself special consideration if it’s something to his detriment.

  12. i am an italian student that likes american politics. i beg you pardon in case of errors in the grammar or the spelling of the post. The Doma is very clear and limits the meaning of the word spouse in every federal statute to an opposite sex partner.In this case we have a federal legislator and a federal agencie(fannie mae)and the doma regulates the question. The downgrading,as i have shown,is part of the law of the land until legislative action or judicial review decides otherwise.Also an ipotetic massachusset marriage would be void for all federal purpose.the rights and the duties of the marital status are connected .

  13. um, legally they were nothing more than good friends or maybe strangers sharing the rent – so why would Barney step down?

    Even if that were true, you don’t find that the least bit unseemly? Don’t you think he should have recused himself?

  14. Count me in as another proud conservative gay who is ASHAMED of Bawney Fwank, otherwise known as “the Banking Queen.” (H/T El Rushbo.)

    Regards,
    Peter H.

  15. Dear Mr. Blatt, It sure is an honor to tell it like it is! You are, Mr. Blatt, a very bright gentleman and I am proud to meet you and proud of you. You, Mr. Blatt, are also a brave person and I commend you.
    Many liberals and perhaps some conservatives are afraid that if one of the representatives or senators brings this motion of Barney Frank’s conflict of interest to the floor, the homosexual and lesbian folks of our nation would consider them to be anti-gays. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation; it all has to do with a “conflict of interest” and the ethics of Congress be it heterosexual or homosexual.
    My husband is ill at this time and my daughter too plus I attend night school; however, I have copied your letter and I sure will follow you in your leadership role you have demonstrated and try to get it to our congressmen/women to act on your letter, which is very well done. But most importantly, why are you not running for Congress; you are certainly qualified, unlike those that are currently representing us. What happened to “we the people”; we must stay alert as you are and confront our leadership. One day, I may address you as Congressman Blatt and I will be proud you are representing all of us “we the people”.
    Wishing you the very best in all that you do, truly,
    Maria Elena Friskel, Kansas City, KS

  17. Gary, thanks for sharing that. I’m thinking of writing to gay organizations and asking their respective executive directors to join me in requesting that the Ethics Committee look into Mr. Frank’s conflict of interest to show they’re serious about holding gay relationships to the same standards as straight ones.

  18. #16 – Dan, don’t hold your breath waiting for a response from those DNC butt-boys. They’ll always defend Ms. Fwank because she’s “one of them.”

    Regards,
    Peter H.

  19. I just stumbled onto your site. WOW!!! I am a Native American (Sioux/Mountain Cahuilla) and I dont cut my people any slack when it comes to ethics. Thanks for being reasonable and articulate about your beliefs. Barney Frank is the epitomy of being white (white man speak with forked tongue). He speaks the talk but doesnt walk the walk.