THE INVESTIGATION OF JIM WRIGHT : Ethics Panel Members Earn Respect but Face Thankless Task

It is the most unpopular--and yet perhaps the most respected--committee in the House of Representatives. Most members dread the thought of being appointed to it but are accorded special deference by colleagues after they begin their duties.

The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which has been at the center of the storm over Speaker Jim Wright’s financial dealings, conducts virtually all of its business behind closed doors, shuns news media exposure and puts in long, grueling hours--a combination not likely to boost the careers of ambitious politicians.

No Clear Guidelines

Worst of all, members of the ethics panel must sit in judgment of their colleagues, often on issues in which there are no clear ethical guidelines. It is a weighty responsibility, because disciplinary actions recommended by the committee could destroy members’ political careers.

“No one wants to be in that position around here, because it’s a lose-lose proposition,” said Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-Colo.), adding that few members apply for membership.

“It’s hard to work with people on a daily basis if you’re also sitting in judgment on them,” she said.

But few question the panel’s importance. At a time when congressional ethics are coming under scrutiny as never before, lawmakers believe that the committee must not only enforce but help define official standards of behavior, regardless of whose career is at stake. As a result, the members appointed by the leadership of both parties must display special qualities.

A key requirement is that panelists be able to work in a bipartisan atmosphere. Unlike other House committees, which are controlled by the majority party, the ethics panel is divided evenly between six Democrats and six Republicans. To take action, one party’s contingent must win over the vote of at least one member from the other side.

“To serve effectively on this committee, you have to be politically unassailable, and you must also have no clear-cut legislative agenda,” said Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). “You’ve got to be truly above the fray. It’s got to be someone who will not be either too harsh or too soft on cases of alleged misconduct.”

The current members of the ethics panel seem to fit that mold: Most are considered quiet, hard-working lawmakers who avoid flamboyant statements in favor of behind-the-scenes deliberations. In the past, they have earned praise for dealing impartially with matters of great sensitivity. But in the Wright case, the committee has faced its greatest test in years.

The committee chairman, Rep. Julian Dixon (D-Los Angeles), has a reputation for low-key, effective consensus building. A loyal ally of the House Democratic leadership, he has nonetheless displayed strong independence since taking over the panel in 1985, according to Democrats and Republicans.

Praise From Dornan

“Julian has conducted himself flawlessly in this job,” said Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), a hard-line conservative who has clashed with the liberal Dixon on many issues before the House. “There are very few on our side of the aisle who have any complaint with the way he has run this committee.”

Another member, Rep. Vic Fazio (D-Sacramento), has taken an active interest in House institutional issues. He was one of only a handful of members who continued to speak out in favor of the 50% pay raise for Congress after it was doomed to defeat.

Other Democratic members, including Rep. Bernard J. Dwyer (D-N.J.), Rep. Chester G. Atkins (D-Mass.), Rep. Joseph M. Gaydos (D-Penn.) and Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.) display the same quiet, methodical approach and powers of analysis that House leaders seek for the committee.

The ranking Republican member, Rep. John T. Meyers of Indiana, is one of the few Ethics Committee members who actually seems to relish his appointment. While the Wright investigation has dragged on for 10 months, he has been seen joking with colleagues and was once overheard humming “Whistle while you work” as a closed-door meeting began.

Bipartisan Skills

On the more serious side, Meyers has developed a taste for bipartisan give-and-take through his work on the House Appropriations Committee. Like Fazio, he has a keen interest in House institutional issues, sitting on another committee that oversees lawmakers’ pay and retirement benefits.

Other Republican members include Rep. Charles Pashayan Jr. (R-Fresno), who like Meyers has a great interest in the day-to-day details of House operations and procedures, as well as Reps. James V. Hansen (R-Utah), Thomas E. Petri (R-Wis.), Larry E. Craig (R-Ida.) and Hank Brown (R-Colo.).