GOP Begins Attacks on Pelosi, Democrats Over Ethics

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza brings word of the spot, which you can watch at left. It will run on cable stations in Washington D.C. starting Wednesday.

The ad opens with Pelosi promising "the most open and the most ethical Congress in history." An announcer then says "Charlie Rangel stepped down after breaking ethics rules and failing to pay taxes. Pelosi defended him for nearly two years." (It's worth noting that Rangel "stepped down" from the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee, not from Congress.)

"Eric Massa resigned after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced," the announcer continues, as the words "SEXUAL HARRASSMENT" flash onscreen. "Pelosi called it rumor...Pelosi's wrong -- it's time to change Washington."

Cillizza reports that while not much is being spent to run the ad, the message behind it is important.

"Republicans clearly believe that the ethics problems for Democrats -- from Rangel to Massa to even New York Gov. David Paterson -- has reached critical mass and can now be turned into an electoral issue," he writes.

Ahead of the 2006 elections, Democrats made Republicans' ethical problems central to their case that the party in power should be replaced.