Rep. Mollohan to head Appropriations subcommittee

Congressman won't vote on Justice issues

11 Jan 2007 // Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., will not vote on Justice Department matters when he takes over as head of a House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the department, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Mollohan announced Wednesday that he will be chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science and Related Agencies. The subcommittee funds the Commerce Department, NASA and the Justice Department, which includes the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys.

Mollohan has been under investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C., since February, after a conservative watchdog group the National Legal and Policy Center filed a complaint about his finances.

According to his press secretary, Gerry Griffith, Mollohan told his colleagues this past week that he would recuse himself from votes on the Justice Department until the investigation is complete.

"Mr. Mollohan voluntarily took the recusal step just as he voluntarily stepped down from the Ethics Committee," Griffith said in an e-mail. "There was no request or pressure from the House leadership in any way on either situation."

Mollohan said in a statement that he was proud to serve as chairman of the subcommittee. He said he is a strong supporter of the missions of NASA and the National Science Foundation, as well as the Commerce Department.

"This position gives me the opportunity to pursue those interests and look out for the people of West Virginia at the same time," Mollohan said.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, applauded Mollohan's step to stay away from Justice Department business. This past month, CREW urged Mollohan to recuse himself from voting on the department's budget in anticipation of his taking over the committee.

Sloan said she thinks Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mollohan are living up to their promise to clean up Congressional ethics.

"Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Mollohan deserve credit for recognizing that recusal is the appropriate course of action," Sloan said in a news release. "The Democrats have handled Rep. Mollohan's ethics problem in a manner markedly different from the way the Republicans have handled such issues."

Mollohan's appointment to chair the subcommittee puts him in a powerful position in the House, said Neil Berch, associate professor of political science at WVU. Mollohan is one of 12 chairs who determine funding for the entire Federal government.

Berch said Mollohan's position will benefit his district and the state, because he will be in a position to bring more federal contracts and programs to West Virginia. Also, he'll be matched in the Senate by Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., who will be chairman of the Appropriations Committee on his side of the Capitol.

"The chairs of the appropriations subcommittees ... have a tremendous amount of influence over the budget," Berch said. "You could make the argument that West Virginia is the best-positioned state in appropriations right now."

Mollohan's position might be limited somewhat by Democrats' pledges to reign in government spending, however, Berch said. The Democrats have reinstated a pay-as-you-go rule, so new programs will have to be offset with decreased spending.

The Democrats also recently passed a bill that requires disclosure of federal earmarks, the special projects that benefit individual members' districts, Berch said. Mollohan's use of earmarks to several nonprofit groups he helped found are part of the investigation into his finances.

"I think that's going to possibly limit what he can do for the district with this position, but it's better to have that than not," Berch said. "Obviously, it's helpful to his congressional district."