New House Majority Leader Keeps Old Ties to Lobbyists (is proud of links)

[rodeodance]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/15/washington/15boehner.html?_r=1&th=&oref=slogin&emc=th&pagewanted=print

July 15, 2006
New House Majority Leader Keeps Old Ties to Lobbyists
By MIKE McINTIRE

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.

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.

[rodeodance]

1. it is business as usual on the Hill.

.....But to some longtime Washington observers, Mr. Boehner’s dealings with interest groups are affirmation that despite the change in leadership and a political climate that appeared conducive to changes in longstanding practices in dealing with lobbyists, the standard currency of influence and access on Capitol Hill — campaign contributions, junkets and jobs — remains largely unchanged.

“The Republican Party needed somebody to say they were a reform candidate, so he said it,” said L. Sandy Maisel, a professor of government and director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at Colby College. “But in reality, he’s carrying on in the tradition not just of DeLay, but past Democratic and Republican leaders alike.”

Mr. Boehner’s calendar for June and July included several fund-raisers by lobbyists and political action committees, including the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America Inc. and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.

A review of Mr. Boehner’s recent contributors finds a “who’s who” of Washington special interests, many with issues before Congress. The Indian tribes have fought to keep gambling legislation from affecting their casinos. Investment companies that have contributed tens of thousands of dollars have a stake in legislation to update the pension system.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. So who comes after Boehner?

[MADem]

3. Hopefully, a GOP MINORITY leader.....! NT

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. And not soon enough! LOL!

[WePurrsevere]

4. He's not just keeping them but having flagrantly having an orgy w/them.

Hopefully this is one last fling and he'll be voted out in November... oh yeah... nevermind... he's from Ohio. Is there any chance that this cretin will actually lose his seat totally?

Ah well... I can at least hope he'll only be House MINORITY Leader after November eh? B-)

[Monkeyman]

6. Mr Speaker one more of your failures opps that right you have no

oversight.What did Rove tell you to place this man in power taken Tom Delays place

[ShockediSay]

7. It's the lobby lawyers, stupid! n/t

[The Wielding Truth]

8. Dirty money. It's given to bribe,get around the law, or individual profit.

And this guy bathes in it. It's disgusting in our government. Corruption and the Republican party are dance partners.