The House ethics committee voted to establish an investigative subcommittee to look into the conduct of Bob Filner, D-Calif., who faces a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery after allegedly pushing a United Airlines baggage employee at Dulles Airport last month.
In a written statement Wednesday, leaders of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct said the new subcommittee will be chaired by Democrat Gene Green of Texas.
J. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., will serve as the ranking Republican. The other two members will be Democrat Joseph Crowley of New York and Republican Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida.
The ethics committee recommended that the subcommittee not take any action in the Filner case until the criminal proceedings in Loudoun County, Va., run their course. Filner is due to appear in court in early October.
Filner issued a written statement saying he regrets "that things turned out the way they did" after the Veterans' Affairs Committee chairman arrived at Dulles on Aug. 19.
"This came about because I was frustrated by an unexplained airline delay," Filner said. "I respect the ethics committee's decision to wait until this matter is resolved in Virginia before proceeding."
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