One has to wonder whether it's some intrinsic mental defect specific to politicians, a problem with the governing party, or just plain idiocy. Tom Delay was unceremoniously booted from his position as majority leader in Congress, primarily over scandals surrounding his relationship with super-scumbag Jack Abramoff, the prominent lobbyist with a flair for breaking the law when top pols were in the room with him. Following Delay's disgrace John Boehner (R-OH) accepted the majority leader title amidst fanfare and promises of a return to the good old days of honest politicians in the capital. Assuming they ever existed, that is. Well, it would seem that since Boehner has taken the lead not only has there been no improvement in Congressional ties to questionable lobbyists, but things have remained virtually unchanged.
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.
Tapping a rich vein of longstanding relationships with lobbyists and their corporate clients, Mr. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, has raised campaign contributions at a rate of about $10,000 a day since February, surpassing the pace set by former Representative Tom DeLay after he became majority leader in 2002, a review of federal filings shows.
His fund-raising pace is roughly twice what it was before he became majority leader in February; in April his two federal committees took in $334,500 from political action committees, a monthly take that Mr. DeLay did not match for more than two years after the elections in 2002.
Mr. Boehner's biggest donors include the political action committees of lobbying firms, drug and cigarette makers, banks, health insurers, oil companies and military contractors. Seven American Indian tribes with casinos have contributed $32,000.
And despite an intensified spotlight on Congressional trip taking, Mr. Boehner flew to a golf resort in Boca Raton, Fla., in March for a convention of commodities traders, who have contributed more than $100,000 to his campaigns and are lobbying against a proposed federal tax on futures transactions.
Let's all be honest with each other. I don't think anyone really thought that things were going to change at any sort of meaningful level once Delay was ousted and Abramoff shamed (and soon to be jailed) but many expected at least a return to the appearance of propriety, with all the dirty deal making going back under the table until the assorted rats and cockroaches infesting the Capitol building felt the coast was clear. But apparently cashing in on his newfound "leadership" position is more important to Boehner than the imposition of any sort of ethics in our federal government.
Not all lobbying is a bad thing, and in fact it can be a good way for people who are concerned about a particular issue to let their representatives know how they feel outside of the pollings booths. But influence peddling and bribery are very different from standard lobbying tactics, and a system that practically requires any interest group to pay off a politician in some form to get his or her attention is one that isn't working. One would think that with all the press political corruption has received over the past six months that this issue would hit home a little harder for Congress, and the GOP in particular. But if Boehner is any indication, gifts and money are still more important than a functioning government to the people who call themselves our leaders.
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legionnaire
United Kingdom
November 2003
JUL 15, 2006 04:41 PM