Adam Smith: "Hastings Should "Absolutely" Be Investigated"

TPMmuckraker:

Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), speaking on a Washington NPR affiliate, KUOW, said yesterday that he "absolutely" supports an ethics investigation of Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA), the ranking member of the House ethics committee. "I think that whole situation is just incredibly troubling," he said, "the line was clearly crossed."

Smith was referring, of course, to Hastings' former chief of staff Ed Cassidy's call to then-U.S. Attorney John McKay shortly after the 2004 election. McKay testifed last Tuesday that he was "concerned and dismayed" by the call, during which Cassidy asked him whether his office was investigating allegations of Democratic voter fraud in the gubernatorial election, which the Democrat had very narrowly won.

But as we pointed out earlier this week, it's a relatively meaningless gesture for a member of the House to express support for an ethics investigation unless he or she actually follows through and files a complaint -- refers the complaint against Hastings from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Will Smith do that?