Sen. David Vitter filed another complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee Thursday, alleging Democratic misconduct in crafting an amendment that appeared to directly target him — just two days after the panel dismissed his initial complaint. The Louisiana Republican has repeatedly charged that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer — Vitter's partner atop the Environment and Public Works Committee — improperly floated an amendment that would have restricted the ability of members of Congress to access health care exchange benefits if they had engaged in prostitution. The strike against Vitter, who was linked to the D.C. Madam investigation, appeared to be in retaliation for an amendment to an energy efficiency bill that would cut off employer contributions for members' and staffers' health care. "This outrageous episode just shows how far Harry Reid and company will go to protect their Obamacare exemption. Well I have news for them: I'm not going away and this issue isn't going away," Vitter said in a statement. (more…)
