Ethics panel clears 7 House members on earmarks | Reuters

Taxpayers for Common Sense and other watchdog groups criticized the ethics committee's decision to clear the lawmakers, but said it was not surprising.

Members of the ethics committee themselves obtained $200 million in earmarks either by themselves or with other lawmakers, Taxpayers said on its web site.

"The ethics committee seems to have taken a 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' approach to potential earmark quid pro quo," the group said. It said the idea that lawmakers ignore previous or future campaign contributions "flies in the face of political realities and, quite frankly, common sense."