Business As Usual
So much for ethics reform in the House of Representatives. The man chosen to replace Tom Delay as House Majority Leader, John A. Boehner, got the job after promising reform. Unfortunately for Americans, however, his idea of reform is better record keeping when it comes to accepting the largesse of lobbyists and their clients. From today's NY Times:
Representative John A. Boehner won the job of House majority leader amid a post-Abramoff clamor for an overhaul of lobbying and ethics rules. But nearly six months later, the changes are still tied up in Congress.
And far from trying to put the brakes on lobbyists and the money they channel into Republican coffers, Mr. Boehner, who has portrayed his ties to Washington lobbyists as something to be proud of, has stepped on the gas.
He has been holding fund-raisers at lobbyists’ offices, flying to political events on corporate planes and staying at a golf resort with a business group that has a direct stake in issues before Congress.
...None of these activities is illegal or violates ethics rules, and they are not unique to Mr. Boehner.
Aides to Mr. Boehner have said he is sincere about clamping down on abuses that lead to illegal or unethical behavior by lawmakers and interest groups.
Kevin Madden, his communications director, said Mr. Boehner’s approach was reflected in House proposals that focused on greater disclosure of information rather than on limits to what members of Congress and lobbyists can do. Mr. Boehner, Mr. Madden said, has seen no need to change his own practices in dealing with lobbyists, taking trips or raising money since becoming majority leader, believing that transparency is the key to restoring public trust. [Emphasis added]
Apparently Mr. Boehner's approach is that if the citizens know who is buying their representatives' votes, that should be enough. The fact that the votes are being bought shouldn't be troubling to anyone.
While knowing that votes are being purchased by lobbyists is helpful, and certainly not surprising after a year of investigations, it is definitely not enough. Unless and until voters in this country make that clear by voting such clowns out of office, we will be stuck with the do-nothing, treason-enabling, graft-ridden Congress we currently have. And we will deserve it.
Representative John A. Boehner won the job of House majority leader amid a post-Abramoff clamor for an overhaul of lobbying and ethics rules. But nearly six months later, the changes are still tied up in Congress.
And far from trying to put the brakes on lobbyists and the money they channel into Republican coffers, Mr. Boehner, who has portrayed his ties to Washington lobbyists as something to be proud of, has stepped on the gas.
He has been holding fund-raisers at lobbyists’ offices, flying to political events on corporate planes and staying at a golf resort with a business group that has a direct stake in issues before Congress.
...None of these activities is illegal or violates ethics rules, and they are not unique to Mr. Boehner.
Aides to Mr. Boehner have said he is sincere about clamping down on abuses that lead to illegal or unethical behavior by lawmakers and interest groups.
Kevin Madden, his communications director, said Mr. Boehner’s approach was reflected in House proposals that focused on greater disclosure of information rather than on limits to what members of Congress and lobbyists can do. Mr. Boehner, Mr. Madden said, has seen no need to change his own practices in dealing with lobbyists, taking trips or raising money since becoming majority leader, believing that transparency is the key to restoring public trust. [Emphasis added]
Apparently Mr. Boehner's approach is that if the citizens know who is buying their representatives' votes, that should be enough. The fact that the votes are being bought shouldn't be troubling to anyone.
While knowing that votes are being purchased by lobbyists is helpful, and certainly not surprising after a year of investigations, it is definitely not enough. Unless and until voters in this country make that clear by voting such clowns out of office, we will be stuck with the do-nothing, treason-enabling, graft-ridden Congress we currently have. And we will deserve it.
posted by Diane at 4:31 AM
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