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'Informal' probe into drug bill bribe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- House ethics leaders have initiated an "informal" investigation into alleged efforts to bribe Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., into voting for the Medicare bill.

Ethics Committee Chairman Joel Hefley, R-Colo., and ranking Democrat Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., released a statement late Wednesday, saying an "informal fact-finding" into offers made to Smith during last year's unprecedented, three hour vote on Medicare prescription drug legislation was opened Dec. 8.

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Hefley has previously dismissed calls from Democrats for a formal investigation as politically motivated.

Smith has said he was encouraged to vote in favor of the drug bill by unnamed persons who suggested his son, who is running for the retiring legislator's seat, could received campaign assistance in return for a changed vote.

Since making the incident public, Smith has backed way from his initial statements and refused to say who actually was involved in the conversations.

He is quoted in Thursday's Congress Daily AM as doubting the productiveness of the inquiry, saying no member is dumb enough to offer another member of Congress money.

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