# Maybe We Should Start With Senator Reid **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 12, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130 "2006-10-12T00:24:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/1 "2006-10-12T00:24:11Z")
According to [this AP news report](http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20061011/452c6c40_3ca6_1552620061011558543006), Democratic leader Harry Reid may be in serious violation of Senate Ethics Committee rules by not reporting a "_verrrry interesting_ transaction in which he made 1.5 million dollars on the sale of land which he hasn’t owned in three years. Nothing would be better for the Democratic Party or more refreshing for the country than to investiate _quickly and fully_ and, if the accusations are true, _throw the bum out_. Americans are sick to death of foot-dragging investigations and tolerance of power brokering. If he is so stupid that he didn’t know that he was supposed to report this, then he is too stupid to have the privilege of sitting in the United States Senate. No excuses. Let’s get rid of the stupid ones. _All of them._ ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/2 "2006-10-12T00:26:06Z")
Ok. Allen has to go too. Also, Hatsert, who arranged to have an offramp built directly to property he owned against all recommendations to the contrary. Seems like a fair trade. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/3 "2006-10-12T00:36:49Z")
[QUOTE=Zoe] Let’s get rid of the stupid ones. _All of them._ [/QUOTE] And that would leave…who? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/4 "2006-10-12T00:44:23Z")
[QUOTE=Zoe] Nothing would be better for the Democratic Party or more refreshing for the country than to investiate _quickly and fully_ and, if the accusations are true, _throw the bum out_. [/QUOTE] It doesn’t have any sex in it; nobody cares. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/5 "2006-10-12T00:56:08Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Nothing would be better for the Democratic Party or more refreshing for the country than to investiate quickly and fully and, if the accusations are true, throw the bum out. I agree, but you do know that Reid isn’t up for re-election this year, right? He can’t be thrown out until 2010 at the earliest. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/6 "2006-10-12T00:58:41Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] And that would leave…who? Bueller? [/QUOTE] What state does Senator Bueller represent? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Golden\_Ass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@The\_Golden\_Ass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Golden_Ass)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/7 "2006-10-12T01:00:02Z")
Um, he did own the land, with a partner. 3 years ago he transferred the property from his own name to that of LLC with partner (he owned 75% and the partner owned 25% of the land. That’s how the LLC was split as well). He reported the ownership of this land and the LLC to the Senate Ethics Committee already. There may be a sticky point because he continued to disclose the land as a personal asset, rather than a partnership in an LLC. There may be a technicality because of that (I think it relates to tax issues? I’m not sure), but he didn’t violate the spirit of the law, and never hid the land or the LLC from the Senate Ethics Committee. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/8 "2006-10-12T01:04:23Z")
[QUOTE=Kimstu] I agree, but you do know that Reid isn’t up for re-election this year, right? He can’t be thrown out until 2010 at the earliest. [/QUOTE] There’s always censure and removal, if merited. Recall, if his constituency wants it; and resignation in disgrace, if he’s shamed into it. I hope any defense of him that’s mounted here on the Board is well-supported and intellectually honest. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/9 "2006-10-12T01:06:49Z")
[QUOTE=Zoe] According to [this AP news report](http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20061011/452c6c40_3ca6_1552620061011558543006), Democratic leader Harry Reid may be in serious violation of Senate Ethics Committee rules by not reporting a "_verrrry interesting_ transaction in which he made 1.5 million dollars on the sale of land which he hasn’t owned in three years. [/quote] Hold off on the torches just yet; according to [this (admittedly not non-partisan) rebuttal,](http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/10/11/175829/67) Reid may not be guilty of anything: > [@](#): > > Actually, [Reid] did own that land. It just so happened that three years ago, he transfered the property from his own personal name to that of an LLC… > this was all disclosed to the ethics committee. The place were things got sloppy is that Reid continued to disclose ownership of the land as a personal asset rather than ownership in the LLC which owned the land. But that’s it. Fact is, the LLC had no other assets other than this piece of land, and Reid disclosed ownership of the piece of land. > > …Ultimately, there might be a technical violation of Senate rules – Reid has asked for clarification from the ethics committee. But bottom line is that Reid followed the spirit of the law. He disclosed his ownership of the land – down to the exact plots – which would allow for watchdogs to monitor any potential conflicts of interest. I’ll let the tax lawyers in the audience work out the details, but it’s worth noting that the AP article was written by the same guy who [mistakenly claimed](http://mediamatters.org/items/200605300007) back in May that Reid received free boxing tickets as part of an effort to buy his vote on federal boxing regulations, when in actuality Reid received “credentials” that were given only to public officials for [(legal) observation purposes.](http://mediamatters.org/items/200605310008) But hey, there’s only three weeks left until the election, and Mark Foley’s in the newspaper. Time to stir up the muck! ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/10 "2006-10-12T01:10:12Z")
[QUOTE=Kimstu] I agree, but you do know that Reid isn’t up for re-election this year, right? He can’t be thrown out until 2010 at the earliest. [/QUOTE] Each house has the power to expel a member on a 2/3 vote. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/11 "2006-10-12T01:16:15Z")
Ah yes, the strength of the Democratic party: circle the firing squad at the first sign of trouble. Would it kill us to for once let the Republicans shoot us before we shoot ourselves in the foot? Would it kill us to be skeptical of claims about Democrats until they are proven? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/12 "2006-10-12T01:17:02Z")
If it turns out that Reid did something unsavory, throwing him out would be OK with me. The main problem as I see it is that members are left in office so long that they develop a sense that they are entitled to the job. I would have no objection to throwing out the 1/3 of the senators that are up for electrion every two years. That would help avoid their thinking they own the job and still preserve an experienced core to get things done. The House is another matter entirely and I have no idea what to do about that. I don’t think having all brand new members every two years would be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/13 "2006-10-12T01:17:54Z")
Ok, so Reid is in the clear then. I eargerly await Zoe explaining Allen’s case, in which he was found not to have disclosed his involvement at all in two firms that he directly went to bat for in his position. His first excuse was that the gambit didn’t earn him any money, so he felt it didn’t count: as if mugging someone who turns out not to be carrying any money isn’t a crime. but then it turned up first that “didn’t earn any money: they were worthless” maybe meant that they were worth a quarter million, and then when more came to light 1.1 million. So, let’s go: what’s up with Allen? ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/14 "2006-10-12T01:25:08Z")
[QUOTE=Apos] Ok. Allen has to go too. Also, Hatsert, who arranged to have an offramp built directly to… [/QUOTE] I thought for sure that sentence was going to end with “pages’ butts”. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/15 "2006-10-12T01:28:27Z")
Go for it, look all you want, but don’t forget [Mayor Corker](http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article/0,1426,MCA_1496_5057186,00.html) or the man he’s trying to replace [Sen. Frist](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/24/1236/48035) Pay no attention to our Sexual Predator! look … there’s a Democrat doing something! It reeks of desperation and panic. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/16 "2006-10-12T01:44:37Z")
So, he was incorrectly claiming 100% ownership of the land instead of 75% interest in it? Wouldn’t that actually make him look better? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/17 "2006-10-12T01:49:13Z")
[QUOTE=yanceylebeef] It reeks of desperation and panic. [/QUOTE] Nope, reeks of politics. I’m trying to distance myself from it (with great hassle from some) but I’ll do what I need to do. The fact that **Zoe** (no great fan of my politics) posted this story while alluding to problems in the GOP in an effort to call to the floor anyone that seems to be worthy of dismissal may be a starting point of fixing the problem. Seriously. Is either side really proud anymore? A donkey, an elephant, it’s just politics. It’s people siezing opportunity to keep and gain power. Both sides are guilty. They have been for a long time. Maybe the old saw about not trusting anyone over 30 was coined because by this point in life, you’ve been around long enough to realize they’re all full of shit. I’ll remain a conservative and a GOP voter for the most part (I’ve already stated I’ve voted for Pomeroy a few times), but I’m going to hope like hell and refuse party donations until the shit gets cleaned up. At least cleaned up to a respectable level of sliminess. If Hastert ever knew about Foley’s “indiscretions” (isn’t what they’ve been deemed in the last decade?) he damn well better resign. But to paint the GOP based on the “predelictions” of a House member is a bit like painting the Dems on any of their “misdeeds”. I’ve come a long way in shifting my disgust from the “opposition party” to the politicians themselves. I’m not as far along as I’d like to be, but it’s a beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/18 "2006-10-12T01:49:16Z")
Isn’t this old news? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/19 "2006-10-12T02:12:31Z")
> [@](#): > > **Caridwen** : Isn’t this old news? It might be, but the Associated Press was claiming exclusive rights to the story when they published it at around 6:30 tonight (October 11) Eastern time. Have you been able to find anything written previously about it on the internet? I’m all ears…uh, eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130/20 "2006-10-12T02:21:04Z")
Drudge was pushing it in his mainline slot. Looks like they’re hoping it’ll at least be good for a “this isn’t very honest, but if we put it on the news complete with people saying it doesn’t matter at least there will be something else to talk about!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-we-should-start-with-senator-reid/376130.md?page=2)