Probe of House member is sought

A legal ethics watchdog group Wednesday called on the House Ethics Committee to investigate Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach) for actions surrounding the foreclosure of her Sacramento home and defaults on her homes in San Pedro and Long Beach.

William Marshall, a spokesman for Richardson, called the complaint “pretty mean-spirited. It rehashes old news.” He said the House ethics counsel last week met with the congresswoman and said her ethics statement met House rules.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said the chances for an investigation were slim because members of Congress must ask for the probe, and the committee has shown little interest lately in investigating representatives.

House leaders said they would not ask for an investigation and said it was up to the committee to decide what course to take.

Richardson’s homes have fallen into default seven times, with five of them coming in the last 13 months. During much of that time she was lending her campaigns for Assembly and Congress $177,500.

-- Jeff Gottlieb