House Republican leaders moved swiftly to pressure two of their conference members under federal investigation to step down from key committee posts this week. Yesterday saw Rep. John Doolittle of California step down from his Appropriations Committee assignment after word leaked that his Virginia home had been raided by FBI agents seeking documents linking him with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Similarly, Rep. Rick Renzi of Arizona stepped down from the Intelligence Committee after it was revealed that the FBI had raided a business tied to his wife as part of an ongoing probe into his official actions.
House Republicans were often slow in the last Congress to address issues of official corruption. Famously, Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio was allowed to chair the House Administration Committee despite mounting evidence that he had had improper relationships with Mr. Abramoff. Perhaps recognizing that such inattention helped create their current minority status, it looks as if Republicans are belatedly exercising better judgment in this Congress.