Cynthia McKinney is Off the Hook

After the entire blogosphere brouhaha - from both sides of the political spectrum - about Rep Cynthia McKinney's alleged assault of a Capitol Hill police officer, the grand jury has decided not to indict her - as guilty as many of you may have thought she was.

It's true that McKinney did herself damage when she invoked the race card and the whole 'hair' thing was blown way out of proportion, but it's a reminder not to jump on the sometimes hysterical bandwagon that the blogosphere can be.

No, what's going to happen to Rep William Jackson? He of the alleged $90,000 in his freezer? The Dems' caucus decided yesterday, in an unprecedented move, to kick him off the Ways and Means committee and he hasn't even been indicted yet - if indeed he will ever be.

House rules state that a legislator must be convicted before being removed from a committee, and Democratic Caucus rules state that heads or ranking members of committees must be indicted or be presented with formal charges before being removed.

Jefferson has not been charged with a crime.

Yes, the Dems want to appear ethical, but at what price?