WP: Loophole in Lobbying Bill Leaves Wiggle Room

[kskiska]

Lawmakers are about to bombard the American public with proposals that would crack down on lobbyists. Several prominent plans, including one outlined yesterday by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), would specifically ban meals and privately paid travel for lawmakers.

Or would they?

According to lobbyists and ethics experts, even if Hastert's proposal is enacted, members of Congress and their staffs could still travel the world on an interest group's expense and eat steak on a lobbyist's account at the priciest restaurants in Washington.

(snip)

Anything that members of Congress can now do in the pursuit of money for their reelections will still be permitted in the future -- including accepting lobbyist-paid travel and in-town meals -- unless campaign finance laws are altered.

(snip)

The result, he added, "may well be more out-of-town fundraising events than there are at the moment."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011701311.html

[Flabbergasted]

1. Reminds me of Campaign Finance "Reform" in the 90's

Reform that in the end did nothing.

[global1]

2. Does Anybody Believe The Repugs Making Proposals ...

cracking down on lobbyists - as being done for altruistic reasons. They are simply putting out these proposals to take the heat off of them in light of all the scandals of corruption that are drowing them.

They may also start to claim that they have taken the lead on this and the Dems didn't.

This is simply a tactic that they can get MSM time and divert attention from the crimes that they have committed. And in light of all the rotten things that have gone on since *Co took office (everybody knows what they are and I don't have to rehash those here and now)that they were able to wiggle out of with the help of MSM - this tactic might work for them as well.

Come on - I heard that the WH dismissed the spying lawsuits filed today as 'frivolous'. How could they get away with that term 'frivolous'. This is serious stuff going down. Serious crimes being committed against the American people. The groups that filed these lawsuits certainly don't think nor do they have the time to mess with something that is 'frivolous'.

How much more of this arrogance and disregard for the laws and the American people do we have to put up with?

[f-bush]

3. Of course there's wiggle room

You could probably drive a truck through that wiggle room. It doesn't surprise me, what with repuke lawyers writing the law and all.

[rodeodance]

4. first day out of the gate with REFORM--and WP announces the loopholes

te he.

[farmboxer]

5. It's just a temporary cover while CNN and the rest take over

to try and make the public believe Republicans are the good guys and the Dems are the bad guys. I will never forgive CNN for lying about President Gore. They covered for the coup. However, a lot of Americans know Gore won, while the loser Bush was appointed to office, all this in spite of CNN's extreme bias. CNN appears to hate Gore to the extreme. Gore is a good person, CNN does not want anyone to know that.

[UpInArms]

6. I wonder which lobbyists wrote the "reform" bill? .... eom

[ShockediSay]

7. ans: lobbyists of the right wing

crooks and liars persuasion, I'll bet.