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UPDATE: HOUSE PANEL WILL INVESTIGATE REP.

BOB FILNER'S AIRPORT RUN-IN -- House Ethics

Committee has formed a bipartisan, four-member

investigative subcommittee to look into the incident.

 

 

For the previous story about this investigation, go here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/
nf07/nfSEP07/nf091907-9.htm

For more about House Vets' Chair Rep. Bob Filner, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/ses
search.php?q=filner&op=and

Today's story here... http://www.mercury
news.com/news/ci_6937697
?nclick_check=1

Story below:

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House panel to investigate congressman's airport run-in

By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON—The House Ethics Committee announced an investigation Wednesday of Rep. Bob Filner's run-in with a baggage worker at Dulles International Airport last month. The incident resulted in misdemeanor assault and battery charges against the congressman.

The committee released a short statement saying it voted Tuesday to form a bipartisan, four-member investigative subcommittee to look into the incident. The statement said action by the subcommittee will be deferred until the resolution of criminal proceedings against the California Democrat.

Filner is due in Virginia's Loudoun County General District Court on Oct. 2 for a hearing on the incident, which he has attributed to a "misunderstanding" after his bags were delayed.

According to a sworn complaint by United Airlines baggage worker Joanne Kay Kunkel, a screaming Filner stormed into the airline's bagging office Aug. 19, barging past other customers and demanding to speak with higher-ups. He repeatedly pushed on Kunkel's arms when she tried to stop him and backed off only when he heard another employee on the phone with airport police.

Filner, who has said he regrets the incident, has termed the charges "ridiculous." He's declined interview requests and has not offered his own version of events, and his spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.

Wednesday's announcement came on deadline day under new House rules that require the Ethics Committee to
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investigate any lawmaker charged with a crime, or report to the House why it's decided not to. That determination must be made within 30 days, which in Filner's case was Wednesday.

The investigative subcommittee will be chaired by Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas. The top Republican will be J. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C. The two other members will be Reps. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla.

Filner is in his eighth term and chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee.

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Larry Scott  --