Ethics Panel Picks Attorney for Investigation of Wright

The House ethics committee today named Chicago attorney Richard J. Phelan to investigate allegations against House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.), saying an outside counsel is needed to assure the public that the probe will be fair and objective.

Chairman Julian C. Dixon (D-Los Angeles) said all six Democrats and six Republicans on the committee agreed on the choice of Phelan, an active Democratic fund-raiser.

Dixon said Phelan and his firm, Phelan, Pope & John, will be paid no more than $300,000 for their work. He said it was impossible to estimate how long the investigation will last.

Dixon, in response to a question, said Phelan will not be authorized to go beyond the scope of the six-count resolution of inquiry unanimously adopted by the panel on June 9.

That drew a complaint from Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), Wright’s chief accuser, who said no probe could be considered independent if it does not permit investigators to follow leads to their conclusions.

Wright is under formal investigation on charges of using his office to lobby federal officials on matters in which he had a financial interest, and for alleged improprieties in the publication of a book by a campaign contractor on which Wright received unusually high royalties, among other charges.

Wright said today he does not know Phelan, but added, “apparently, he’s a reputable attorney.” He reiterated his hope that the panel will complete its work quickly and his expectation that he will be exonerated.

Gingrich objected to the choice of Phelan, whom he called a partisan Democrat. The Chicago lawyer was a fund-raiser for the presidential campaign of Democratic Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, according to an article in the January issue of the American Lawyer.