BLUE DOG BITES :

The sad saga of Rep. Jim Moran (David Keene, The Hill)

Jim Moran was elected mayor in spite of the fact that some years before he had been forced to resign from the City Council by a judge who put him on probation for a serious 'conflict of interest.' The alternative threatened was a trial and probable conviction on bribery charges. Few thought his political career could survive.

But it did. He confounded most observers by coming back to be elected mayor and went on to win election to Congress in 1990. He's been reelected ever since in a heavily Democratic district, has emerged as something of a leader within the Democratic Leadership Council and is often seen on various TV networks as a Democratic spokesman.

But there's still something wrong with the guy. Since threatening my intern more than a decade ago, he's threatened congressional colleagues and assaulted one on the House floor. He also attacked an 8-year-old child whom he claimed tried to steal his car, and the police had to be called to his house to break up a domestic fight that sent his wife scurrying off to the nearest divorce lawyer.

So the temper's still there, but so are the ethical lapses that forced him out of politics once before. Since arriving in the House he's played fast and loose with ethics rules as well as campaign finance laws. He's apparently always lived beyond the means of a congressman and gotten himself into financial binds that have forced him to seek help wherever he might get it.

All too often this seemed to be from lobbyists who were courting his vote on legislation of interest to them or their clients. Instead of simply taking and pocketing cash, however, the feisty Moran has worked out ways that allow him to at least claim that he isn't really doing anything wrong.

Well, at least he voted to impeach Bill Clinton...
Posted by Orrin Judd at July 17, 2002 1:24 PM