Democrat's New Ethics Rules A Thin Tissue of Lies

Well for those idiots among you who voted Democrat because you expected them to "clean up" the lobbying rules for Congress, welcome to reality. Did you really believe Madame "Bela" Pelosi and "Hateful" Harry Reid would do something to interfere with their ability to pay their relatives huge salaries and take trips at the expense of others? How droll.

New Rules Still Allow Congress Many Perks
Policies on Lobbying Are Selectively Strict

By John Solomon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, January 20, 2007; Page A01

On the Monday that was supposed to start the new Congress's first five-day workweek, Minority Leader John A. Boehner helped persuade his Democratic colleagues to give House members the day off.

The Ohio Republican had his reasons. He was going to see Ohio State compete in the national championship football game in Arizona. Boehner had tickets for the stadium's nosebleed section. Then, Boehner's office said, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. offered him a bird's-eye seat in one of the company's skyboxes.

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The perk for Boehner and the lobbying access for News Corp. are entirely permissible under the new ethics rules Congress imposed on itself this month -- provided Boehner personally reimburses the cost of the skybox ticket, which Boehner's office said he plans to do once the company sends him the bill. The lawmaker can use campaign funds, instead of personal money, to pay his airfare.

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"It makes one pause when members of Congress raise one hand to vote on an ethics proposal to limit special interests and with the other hand outstretched behind their back ask for campaign contributions or perks from special interests," said Kent Cooper, a former federal election regulator who studies ethics and political money.

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Fact-finding trips paid for by special interests are another practice covered by the new rules, and although they will become less extravagant and less frequent, there will still be plenty of permissible opportunities to take them.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) took his wife, Victoria, with him when he gave a speech in Florence at an event sponsored by New York University, and they were driven around Florence in a car paid for by the school. Kennedy reported that the school paid $1,560 for car service and $257 for a hotel.

These regulations are the Congressional equivalent of the Emperor's New Clothes. Since Democrats now control the House and Senate, you may rest assured that no stone will remain turned in the Paleo-media's (Pm) efforts to ignore the corrupt activities of our new legislature.

Madame "Bela" has been allowed complete freedom by the Paleo-media to lie to the American public about the "Republican Culture of Corruption," implying that Democrats would do better. The Pm has studiously ignored the violations of ethics regulations by the Democrats, except for those cases where they were forced by Conservatives to admit to it. Even then, those occurrences were quickly forgotten and attention was refocused on the transgressions, however slight, of Repulican legislators.

Don't get me wrong, some of the actions of our Republican members of Congress deserved the scrutiny they received. I am only complaining that the same attention was absent in those cases in which Democrats were involved. But then, expecting the Liberally biased Pm to be balanced is an absurd dream.

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