House ethics committee opens probes

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. House ethics committee has launched investigations into bribery allegations against Reps. Robert Ney, R-Ohio, and William Jefferson, D-La.

The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct also opened an inquiry into the widening scandal surrounding former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., The Washington Post reported.

The committee -- which has been inactive for more than a year -- said it would have ordered an investigation into overseas trips by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, if DeLay had not announced that he will resign from Congress next month.

The inquiries follow intensified Justice Department investigations of official corruption allegedly involving Ney and Jefferson.

Cunningham is serving an eight-year prison term, following his guilty plea on charges of accepting $2.4 million in bribes from contractors doing business with the Defense Department.

Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., recently resigned as the ethics committee's ranking member, amid allegations that he used his congressional office to funnel money to his own foundations -- and may have personally benefited financially in the process.

Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., succeeded Mollohan as ranking member and quickly joined with committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., to get the panel operating again.