How lawmakers tip-toe around new ethics reform rules

Members of both parties have found a creative way of breaking the new ethics law that prevents lobbyists from financing lavish events for lawmakers:

The lobbyists and their employers typically end up paying for the events, but within the new rules.

Insteadof picking up the lawmaker’s tab, lobbyists pay a politicalfund-raising committee set up by the lawmaker. In turn, the committeepays the legislator’s way.

Lobbyists and fund-raisers say suchtrips are becoming increasingly popular, partly as a quirky consequenceof the new ethics rules.

Lobbyists say that the rules might even increase the volume ofcontributions flowing to Congress from K Street, where many lobbyingfirms have their offices.

In the end, the bottom line is that politicians want control over what the public knows.  If the overwhelming majority of this country is under the impression that the latest ethics bill will considerably curtail corruption in Congress, then our lawmakers will have little motivation to anything more to fight corruption.  That is why we have to call these lawmakers on their lack of action -- because they will only act if their jobs are on the line.

On a related note, it looks like Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is seeking the same big-donor support that he had been preaching against since 2001.  Some example he is setting!

Comments

[aravella]

Its a politician "thing", and they should re-write the rule! It should have "ironclad" verbiage and ANYONE breaking the rules goes to jail! Where and when does it stop?

[Administrator: Todd]

It doesn't. Even Democrats are dropping the fall on this issue. No wonder Obama voted against ethics reform last fall -- it didn't go far enough.

The next bill should state that this kind of mass transaction immediately before a lavish event should not take place. Although, I don't know how you put that on paper.

[aravella]

How about this for a fantasy. All contributions get posted in the politicians district's newspapers, along with the politicians scheduled events, dinners, vacations etc?

I know, the privacy issue and security. But it's only a fantasy.

[Administrator: Todd]

Hey, I'm all for that idea! And put the public disclosure in language that everyone can understand.