Their use will be monitored by a British ethics panel.

The vote was 210 to 182, with five members - four of them Democrats who serve on the ethics panel - voting present.

The ethics panel, which voted last September to look into the case, has taken an unusually long time to act.

Whether the ethics panel is up to the task remains doubtful.

The ethics panel said her action was significant since she is an influential figure in Michigan politics.

The ethics panel is to make its report by Feb. 11.

He called upon the ethics panel to move forward with a full inquiry.

"We didn't have access to everything the ethics panel had," Pound said.

Others said the ethics panel now had no choice but to look into those accusations.

Still, if the ethics panel is actually listening, we say let the chips fall where they may, and, more important, don't stop here.