House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong issued a statement this afternoon on the ethics investigation previously called for by House Speaker Bill Howell. Armstrong took exception to the notion that the “leadership” had been consulted.
I believe the Speaker misspoke, as I was not included in this discussion. If I had been, I would have expressed my concern that the Speaker is relegating this probe to a panel where proceedings have historically been kept secret
Armstrong went on to ask that the investigation be done in an open and transparent manner. The full statement is below the fold.
“This afternoon, House Speaker Bill Howell announced that he has requested the House Ethics Advisory Panel conduct an investigation into the actions of Delegate Phil Hamilton, with the ‘unanimous concurrence of the other members of the House leadership.’
“I believe the Speaker misspoke, as I was not included in this discussion. If I had been, I would have expressed my concern that the Speaker is relegating this probe to a panel where proceedings have historically been kept secret.
“As the Virginian-Pilot reported this weekend, roughly 10 such investigations have been conducted by the Ethics Advisory Panel in the last 20 years, and all have taken place behind closed doors.
“Unfortunately, a lack of transparency is what led to this situation in the first place. Delegate Hamilton is a public official, and any investigation into his actions should be conducted in full view of the citizens of Virginia.
“The Rules of the House of Delegates state that the House Privileges and Elections Committee has the power to ‘receive and investigate any charges or complaints brought against any member of the House of Delegates in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities and recommend to the House such action as it may deem appropriate to establish and enforce standards of conduct for members.’
“I call on Speaker Howell and Committee Chairman Cole to convene the committee as quickly as possible and deal with this inquiry in a fair, thorough, and – most importantly – open manner. Rather than face an investigation that may never see the light of day, Delegate Hamilton should come before a bipartisan, fully public panel of his peers.
“We cannot risk losing the public’s trust in our institution by continuing to cloak this incident in secrecy.”
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
He betrayed the public trust, he deserve our outrage. He abused his position and wants to take responsibility for it…how by being re-elected? LOL… Come on folks you or I would be canned and looking at jail time. Give Philly boy one more chance to make a million?
Does his wife really get $90,000 a year from CNU to put on a charity golf tournament once a year? How do you get a job like that. I could use one of those. Is she a golf pro? ODU, CNU is there a pattern here? That is $130,000 plus what NNPS caughs up. WOW that politician really had it made!
A long habit of NOT thinking a thing WRONG, gives it a superficial appearance of being RIGHT. – Thomas Paine