Last Wednesday’s Times article, “Schweikert explains impeachment vote,” in fact provided no meaningful explanation at all. The article was nothing more than free coverage given for a press statement, presumably supplied by Schweikert’s office. The congressman’s carefully crafted words did make clear, however, that if hypocrisy were fatal, vultures would be circling.

With an investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics now in his rear view mirror, the congressman seems to have adopted an approach to his duties that makes him less visible yet easier to see.

Congressman Schweikert, remorseless, admitted to 11 ethics violations. Not one violation. Eleven. The general nature of his misconduct has been previously reported in the Times but the specifics remain unaddressed and unanswered. Absent full contrition, any future thought or action he may advance is less than trustworthy. His preferred line so far is, tellingly, that he prefers to “look forward.”

Politics makes it difficult for us to agree. But maybe we can all assert that at a bare minimum, ethical behavior, accountability and transparency are desirable professional and personal characteristics in an elected representative. He recited an oath.