A Few Questions for Rahm

The House that Rahm built will be in session soon. How will it stack up? On spending? Robert Novak, Sun Times:

The issue of spending reform is now in Democratic hands. Emanuel, the newly elected House Democratic Caucus chairman, on Nov. 17 e-mailed colleagues with a call for reform. The takeover of the House that he led as Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman, Emanuel said, sent a message that "it's time for a change, and change starts by cleaning up Washington." But in reiterating the Democratic campaign's promises to "reform lobbying and ethics rules," Emanuel did not mention the corrupting influence of earmarks.

On ethics? There are already questions lingering from the last session. The Republicans forced their most corrupt members to resign, and the voters took care of the marginal few who were left. But the Democrats are still burdened with ethical baggage and dirty laundry. Continuing in office are William "Dollar Bill" Jefferson, and the "Honorable" Alan Mollohan, (remember him) who may now head the very subcommittee that holds the purse strings for the Justice Dept. investigating his amazingly profitable and suspect land deals, tied to earmarks. And then there's Rep. Alcee Hastings, who was impeached by a Democrat Congress due to his taking bribes as a judge, later elected to Congress and still serving as a member of the Intelligence Committee.

Now Rahm Emanuel, 4th in the Dem leadership, and architect of their victory, who promised ethics reform, is facing questions about what he knew about the Foley emails, and when did he know it. Here from Lynn Sweet, Sun Times. More background here.

UPDATE: And how could I forget, on the Senate side, the incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry "Rakes it in" Reid, one of the most under-reported stories of the last year.