The Republican House caucus took a beating on ethics in the 2006 elections. Roll Call (sub. req'd but the full article can be found here) reports that Minority Leader John Boehner is trying to change the ways his caucus deals with unethical behavior. In previous sessions, Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Rep. Bob Ney, both of whom are now in prison, faced no repercussions for their ethical transgressions. With the recent developments in cases against Reps. Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and John Doolittle (R-CA) that new standard will be put to the test:

That tolerance has now evaporated, and leaders have made a concerted effort to let it be known.

“Our whole Conference is trying to demonstrate we’re taking these things seriously,” National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.) said Friday. “The actions speak for themselves.”

Boehner told reporters that his discussions with Members were “to keep them on the straight and narrow path” and said it was more than just a leadership prerogative. “We have a job to do, not just us but the Members,” he said.

While not all Members under investigation have stepped aside, they are facing greater scrutiny. A senior Republican, who asked not to be identified because Steering Committee discussions are private, said Boehner had reassured the panel earlier this year that Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) should get the ranking member slot on Appropriations despite also being under investigation by the Justice Department.

Boehner said he met privately with Lewis for three hours to have the 15-term lawmaker assure him that there would be no problems. He got the post, but outside ethics advocacy groups have decried the decision.

The liberal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington reiterated that call last week. “Raids of a member’s home or business cannot be the new standard for what compels a member to step down from a committee post,” CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan said in statement. “Rep. Lewis, as the top Republican appropriator, is responsible for funding all federal agencies, including the Justice Department. ... It is well past time for Rep. Lewis [to] relinquish his seat on the Appropriations Committee pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.”

Renzi, Lewis and Doolittle were named as three of the 20 most corrupt members of Congress in our September 2006 report, Beyond DeLay.