Some lawyers faced ethics charges in their rush to file suit after the accident.

During the call, the Speaker and his colleagues discussed how to handle the political fallout from the ethics charges.

He was expelled from the senate in 1998 over ethics charges, but later acquitted at his own trial.

One is the string of complicated ethics charges against the President.

The ethics charges have come at a critical time.

But now he may face new ethics charges for having discussed his case with reporters.

The other factor making the race hard to predict are the various ethics charges that have been swirling.

During the call, the Speaker and several colleagues discussed how best to handle the political fallout of the ethics charges.

They say ethics charges need to be difficult to bring, since a mere accusation can ruin a political career.

"And so for a period of time I think there was a reduction of political ethics charges."