House Ethics Committee: Please investigate John Conyers

I am absolutely dumbfounded why the news that Monica Conyers will be spending the next three years in prison isn't a national story. She's the wife of House Judiciary Committee John Conyers.

If they were a Republican couple, I'm sure the New York Times would be interested in Ms. Conyers' extended stay in the federal prison system, which is overseen by Mr. Conyers' committee.

Monica is the former president pro tempore of the Detroit City Council; she pleaded guilty to participating in a bribery scandal and was sentenced on Wednesday. John didn't show up at the sentencing.

Detroit News' editorial page editor Nolan Finley is wondering why no challenger for John Conyers' seat has emerged.

Maybe John Conyers is a coward who put politics ahead of his marriage or maybe he just doesn't care anymore.

But Conyers' obstinate refusal to answer questions about whether he benefited financially from his wife's corruption ought to embolden someone to challenge his re-election. It also ought to awaken the House Ethics Committee, considering that Conyers signed a financial disclosure statement declaring neither he nor his wife accepted a gift worth more than $335. The private school tuition paid for Conyers' son by a city contractor surely was worth more than that.

But so far, no challengers.

And so far, no ethics investigation.

Conyers has served in Congress since 1965, and has never faced a serious challenge in his heavily Democratic district.

Related posts:

Lots of Michigan news: Rep. Cheeks Kilpatrick subpoenaed by grand jury--and more

Rep. John Conyers' wife sentenced to 37 months in federal prison

After 55 years in Congress, Dingell plans to run for another term

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