Political Animal: Hint of the GOP's 'Cuture of Corruption' Already Making a Comeback

[flpoljunkie]

HINTS OF THE GOP'S 'CULTURE OF CORRUPTION' ALREADY MAKING A COMEBACK....

Congressional Republicans' affinity for corporate lobbyists is hardly new. When Congress worked on a jobs bill, the GOP huddled with corporate lobbyists. When work on Wall Street reform got underway, the GOP huddled with industry lobbyists. When Congress worked on health care reform, the GOP huddled with insurance lobbyists. When an energy/climate bill started advancing, Republicans huddled with energy lobbyists.

Care to guess who'll be writing the laws under a GOP majority on the Hill?

This week, however, the ties looked even more unsavory. The National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee announced that it would http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/g-o-p-reception-stirs-up-criticism-from-democrats/">co-host an Election Night reception with one of the top lobbying firms in Washington, and corporate donors willing to write big checks could buy all kinds of nice perks.

GOP officials, meanwhile, are trying to argue this isn't a fundraiser, and that donors to the Election Night event are merely "underwriters" who will help cover the costs of the shindig.

If this sounds legally sketchy to you, you're not alone. Ben Smith reported that campaign finance experts believe soliciting corporate contributions to help throw an election night party is "treading close to the legal line."

more... http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_09/025783.php

The GOP hasn't won anything yet, and they're already planning a return to the party's ethically-challenged ways.

[Historic NY]

1. Abramoff welcome home party he is due for release in Dec. happy days.