CHEYENNE - If elected to Congress, Democrat Gary Trauner said Thursday he will speak out against any elected official who flunks the ethics test, regardless of political party.

During a news conference, the Wilson businessman pointed out that two years ago he called for William Jefferson, a Democrat, to resign after $90,000 was found in his freezer.

On Thursday he called for Charles Rangel, the Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, to resign his leadership post because of questions raised about tax payments on property Rangel owns.

He said he is disappointed that his Republican opponent, Cynthia Lummis, and Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., have been silent on ethical issues.

'As I have been saying all along, unless we elected leaders who are willing to speak out and do what's right for our state and our country, and not for either political party, nothing is going to change,' Trauner said.

In response, Lummis said she already talked to people in Washington, D.C., about serving on the U.S. House Ethics Committee if she is elected.

'It is an assignment most members of Congress avoid because they don't want to blow the whistle on members of their own party,' Lummis said.

Trauner also pointed out that Cubin, who is not running for re-election, never returned thousands of dollars in 'tainted money' she received from Tom Delay.

Trauner said he received an unsolicited campaign contribution from Rangel, which his wife and he decided to donate to various Wyoming charities.

Lummis said it was 'tremendously disingenuous' for Trauner to criticize Cubin for not returning money to Delay when he didn't return Rangel's contribution.

As for Trauner's assertions of independence, Lummis said, 'Gary Trauner is a registered Democrat. Gary Trauner will vote, if he's elected to Congress, for Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the house.'

'If he doesn't, he will be cleaning toilets in the basement of the Rayburn Building,' she added.

During the news conference Trauner also tagged Lummis for failing to be specific about the congressional bailout plan or veterans and health care.

'I think it's pretty clear that I am the one coming out with proposals and specifics and we don't seem to be hearing that from the other side,' Trauner said.

Trauner, who opposed the original bailout plan, said he has not read the new 450-page bill rolling through Congress.

He said the national leaders failed to explain to the public the consequences of a credit freeze.

As an example, he said people may not be able to get the food they want if a wholesaler will no longer allow a grocer to buy fruits and vegetables on credit.

'I think we need to do something now. I'm not a huge fan of the bill. Time is running short,' Trauner said.

Asked if she had done any recent polling, Lummis said the liberal-leaning Daily Kos Web site's poll shows the candidates are tied.

Lummis said that isn't the case, although the race is 'tight.'

Contact Joan Barron at (307) 632-1244 or joan.barron@trib.com