Ethics breach

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- An apparently inadvertent document release indicated that nearly three dozen lawmakers were being investigated by a congressional ethics committee.

The Washington Post said it was provided a copy of a 22-page report by the House of Representatives' Committee on Standards of Official Conduct from July. Summaries of investigations into actions at 19 House members and indications that another 14 congressmen were being reviewed were outlined in the document.

Committee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., informed her colleagues the document was out. The report was allegedly put on an accessible computer network by a low-level staff member, the Post said.

The document included high-profile names such as Reps. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Jane Harman, D-Calif. The Post said about half the members, including Chairman John Murtha, D-Pa., of a defense spending subcommittee were among those under investigation.

In news the committee meant to be made public: The ethics committee on Thursday said investigations into Reps. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and Laura Richardson, D-Calif., would continue. It also said there was no reason to continue a probe regarding Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo.