Harry Reid's land deal
Our position: The Democratic leader's ethical breach deserves a U.S. Senate probe.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada has been one of his party's most aggressive stone throwers in the rhetorical battle over scandals in Washington. He needs to spend more time tending to his own glass house.
The Associated Press reported recently that Mr. Reid failed to follow Senate ethics rules on a $1.1 million land deal. And that's only part of the reason the deal stinks.
Mr. Reid bought the land in 1998 for about $400,000. Three years later, he sold it for the same price to a corporation created by a friend, Jay Brown, and took a stake in the corporation. Mr. Brown's name has come up in a political bribery trial and organized crime investigations, though he has not been charged. Mr. Reid never disclosed this transaction on his annual public ethics report, as required by Senate rules.
Later in 2001, the Clark County Commission granted a request from Mr. Brown to rezone the land for a shopping center, making it far more valuable. In 2004, the corporation sold the land for a fat profit; Mr. Reid's share was $1.1 million. He reported a personal sale, not mentioning the corporation.
It's not trivial when a member of Congress fails to complete an ethics report accurately. The public has a right to know what financial interests members have, and who their business partners are.
Despite what Mr. Reid says, this isn't about partisan politics; it's about responsible government.
While Mr. Reid says he is amending his ethics report, the matter shouldn't end there. It cries out for a full investigation from the Senate ethics committee.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed17206oct17,0,2697216.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines
