Republicans are set to reverse House Ethics Committee rules in response to Democrat's whining and refusal to meet. The change is being billed in the media as a GOP defeat retreat.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, leading a Republican retreat, said Wednesday he stands ready to scrap controversial new ethics rules, possibly by day's end...

Democrats charge that rules changes pushed through the House by Republicans earlier this year were designed to shelter Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and have stopped the ethics committee from conducting business in retaliation. The powerful Texan was admonished by the panel three times last year and faces scrutiny this year over overseas travel. He has denied any wrongdoing.

In reality, all the change did was place the burden of proof on the prosecution, as it is in American courts. Before the rule's change, a 5-5 tie in the evenly split 10 member committee meant that they moved forward with an investigation of charges. The rules change said you had to have a 6 vote majority, which the Democrats and their willing accomplices in the press are billing as 'you have to have the support of a member of the opposite party'. Their goal was to make it sound protectionist toward Republican Leader Tom DeLay.

But the rule actually hurt DeLay more than it helped him. By not allowing him to be investigated, the Democrats are able to continually smear him in the press without a serious investigation of the charges. Changing the rules back mitigates the Democrat's objection. If DeLay can trigger an investigation, he *should* be exhonerated because he's done nothing illegal or outside the realm of what every other member of Congress does.

However the rules change could spell disaster for 'Baghdad' Jim McDermott and Nancy Pelosi, both of whom face very real ethics charges: McDermott for his being found guilty of releasing an illegally taped cell phone conversation; and Pelosi for her campaign finance lapses.