Gee, I wonder why this would happen?
Maxine Waters ethics case: 6 committee members recuse selves
The tumultuous ethics case against Rep. Maxine Waters, one of Los Angeles’ most enduring politicians, took another strange turn Friday as six members of the House Ethics Committee recused themselves from considering the charges against her.
Committee Chairman Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) said that all five of the panel’s Republicans, including himself, and one Democrat were taking the unusual action of recusing themselves from further involvement in the long-running Waters case "out of an abundance of caution and to avoid even an appearance of unfairness." [emphasis added]
Now, I admit to an abundance of ignorance of the particulars of this "investigation," but I'mma hazard a guess that it's about as well-founded and purely motivated as Darrell Issa's "investigation" into "religious freedom" (well, let's be honest: Darrell Issa's investigation into anything), and thus the recusals strike me as even more peculiar.
But there's this in the LA Times article:
An outside lawyer was hired last July to examine whether the committee’s staff acted improperly in investigation [sic] allegations of misconduct.
While Washington lawyer Billy Martin has yet to complete his report, which will help determine whether the case against Waters proceeds, he recommended the recusals, according to a letter from Bonner read on the House floor Friday.
And, for the record, I am strongly in favor of Republicans recusing themselves as often as possible (and yes, I'm looking at you,
Antonin Scalia and
Clarence Thomas).