Thune added to list of ethically challenged Republicans

The corruption in Washington today is largely a result of the "K-Street Project" -- a strategy put forth by Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay that effectively tore down black and white barriers between lobbyists and lawmakers.  It is typical for retired lawmakers to become lobbyists.  Any lobbying firm would want to hire them, especially since they would have personal connections with their former Congressional colleagues.

But what is highly unusual is for the opposite to happen -- lobbyist becoming a lawmaker -- a scenario that played out with Republican John Thune of South Dakota.  He formerly worked for Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad.  According to Tuesday's New York Times, Thune is trying to pass through the Senate a very pricey government loan to his former company:

Last year, his first in the Senate, Mr. Thune wrote language into atransportation bill expanding the pot of federal loan money for smallrailroads, enabling his former client to apply for $2.5 billion ingovernment financing for its project.

The newspaper also says that the issue will be debated today on the Senate floor.  Please e-mail John Thune and tell him to stop acting like Dick Cheney, and do the ethical act of permanently separating himself from his former company (in the e-mail, say that you live in South Dakota or else you will not get a reply).

Comments

[Fred Finkel]

Please help me remember that line from the Jack Nicholson Movie, "As Good As it Gets".

He mentioned something to the effect "you take a man and take away reason and Logic and you have this blog"

Bitterness is so becoming of you!

[Administrator: Todd]

Haha. That's pretty funny. No, not bitterness. I just laugh at the fact that the GOP thought they could get away with turning Washington into a modern day version of the movie "Casino." All the shady deals are coming back to bite them. And too bad for them it's an election year.

[Administrator: Todd]

Haha. That's pretty funny. No, not bitterness. I just laugh at the fact that the GOP thought they could get away with turning Washington into a modern day version of the movie "Casino." All the shady deals are coming back to bite them. And too bad for them it's an election year.