Of today’s news regarding the indictment of William Jefferson:

House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio said Jefferson should be expelled from Congress if he is found guilty and refuses to resign.

“The American people rightfully expect the highest ethical standards from their elected leaders,” Boehner said.

Oh how 8 1/2 months changes things. What did John say last September about Bob Ney?

Yesterday on Fox News Sunday, House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) was asked whether Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) should step down from Congress. Ney pled guilty last week to federal corruption charges, admitting to prosecutors that “he had accepted tens of thousands of dollars in illegal favors from Abramoff and from a Syrian businessman nicknamed ‘the Fat Man.’”

Apparently, in Boehner’s mind, this doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from serving in Congress. Boehner twice refused to answer whether Ney should step down, saying only that it was a decision Ney should make for himself.

Yup – it’s ok for old white guys to stay in Congress when found guilty of accepting bribes, but don’t let a black guy think about doing it.