Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), running for the GOP Majority Leader post, called a GOP backed proposal to ban members from taking lobbyist-paid travel ‘childish’. Boehner also stated, “A ban on travel … I just don’t agree with it. We shouldn’t treat members [of Congress] like children.” Boehner later apologized for his remarks, but did not cease to disagree on certain aspects of reform proposals. The Los Angeles Times article also notes that Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), a supporter of Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), stated his belief that Roy Blunt (R-MO) won the votes of Texas Republicans for his Majority Leader bid with a promise to give jurisdiction of a telecommunications to bill to Joe Barton’s (R-TX) House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Continue readingBoehner Has Most Ex-Staffers on K Street; Contest Could Boil Down to Reform:
In the race to replace Tom DeLay as House Majority Leader John Boehner is the man with the most former staffers relocated to K Street, according to The Hill newspaper. Boehner has at least 24 former staffers working as registered lobbyists compared to 11 for Roy Blunt and 7 for John Shadegg. In another era these business and lobbyist connection would be a plus for Boehner, but post-Abramoff the climate has shifted. Political scientist Russ Baker says, “If [lobbying] reform is at the head of the agenda, the connections with K Street would seem to be something of a disadvantage.” The Christian Science Monitor reports that the race may boil down to the strength of support for reform in the GOP caucus. Boehner, despite his K Street ties, and Shadegg are seen as the reform candidates, while Roy Blunt symbolizes the status quo. Blunt may be at advantage because he has spread the money from his political action committee further then either opposing candidate, contributing more than $400,000 to other party members’ campaign coffers.
Continue readingDeLay Defense Fund in the Red:
The Houston Chronicle reports that former Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s (R-TX) defense fund is in the red, owing more money to lawyers than it took in last year. The defense fund reeled in $590,520 in 2005 but he ran up over $1 million in legal fees for the year. Support for DeLay may be dwindling on Capitol Hill considering that only 31 lawmakers contributed to his defense fund, down from 44 contributors in 2004.
Continue readingHeard on the Hill: DeLay Staff Scales Back, GOP Eyes Gym Membership:
Rep. Tom DeLay’s staff scaled back the luxuries after the indictment and fall from grace of the former Majority Leader. The staff is holding an office party today at “Bullfeathers, a favorite House-side dive,” according to Roll Call. The less expensive Bullfeathers is no Signatures or Capitol Grille costing each person $38 each. Many former and current staffers cannot even imagine paying for their own meals. While DeLay staffers party the House GOP has scheduled a vote on banning former members from the House gym. Democrats Harry Reid (D-NV) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) do not see lobbying in the gym as a problem. Reid: “I’ve never been lobbied in the gym. Of course, I’m pretty ugly naked. So maybe that’s why.” Pelosi claims that this proposal exhibited the “smallness and pettiness” of the GOP lobbying reform proposals.
Continue readingCongressional Offices Enforce Own Ethics Rules:
Numerous congressional offices are internally implementing their own strict rules governing staffer-lobbyist contacts. House Energy and Commerce Committee aides are told to avoid “not just lunches and dinners with lobbyists but any lobbyist-sponsored reception.” Members of Congress Pete Sessions (R-TX), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), and Jerry Weller (R-IL) are all restricting staffers from accepting gifts from lobbyists. A Weller spokesman states, “No more lobbyist gifts, of any shape, size or variety, until the House enacts whatever reform it’s going to enact. That includes a cup of coffee, Tortilla Coast [a Hill restaurant], you name it.”
Continue readingDoolittle to Avoid Challenge to Leadership Post:
Despite more revelations coming out about Rep. John Doolittle’s connections to the Abramoff scandal it seems certain that he will retain his leadership post in the GOP caucus. The Sacramento Bee reports that some Republicans plan to call on a full slate of elections today, possibly endangering Doolittle’s low ranking conference secretary post. Doolittle is likely safe considering the push for full elections is expected to fall short and because Doolittle is waging a PR battle within the caucus to clear his name. “Doolittle has sent a letter to every House Republican defending himself against accusations that he was involved improperly with Abramoff.”
Continue readingBush Mine Safety Nominee is Former Mine Executive; Walk-out of Senate on Mine Safety Questioned:
The Bush Administration nominee to head the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Richard Stickler, is a former executive of Massey Energy, one of the largest coal producers, and a former miner. Despite revelations that recent mine tragedies could have been avoided had the Bush Administration not scrapped 18 mine safety regulations, Stickler believes that no new laws or regulations are needed. Stickler would replace acting agency director David Dye. Dye recently walked out of Senate hearings on mine safety claiming that he had to tend to other matters, including a coal mine fire in Colorado. James Ridgeway of the Village Voice followed up and discovered that the fire in Colorado has been burning for two months.
Continue readingGroups Wary of Grassroots Reform:
Some lobbying groups, such as AARP, National Association of Manufacturers, and the American Cancer Society are concerned that lobbying reforms targeting efforts to mobilize grassroots support could “quell citizen involvement in the political process.” The Hill newspaper notes that “[s]ome lawmakers want to require greater transparency when lobbying organizations, on their own or through specialty public-relations firms, try to generate public support for their legislative priorities.” The real target, according to lawmakers, is the practice of “astroturfing” or “the creation of coalitions or umbrella organizations that reach out to the public without openly declaring their ties to special interests.” So far the concerned groups have not seen any proposal that they see as dangerous to their grassroots efforts.
Continue readingExxonMobil Posts Record Profit, Continues to Receive Tax Breaks:
ExxonMobil posted the single largest quarterly and annual profit raking in over $10 billion in the fourth quarter of last year while the annual total topped $36 billion, according to the New York Times. The annual revenue for the oil and gas behemoth was $371 billion, nearly $100 billion more than the entire revenue for the oil producing nation Saudi Arabia. ExxonMobil is not proudly displaying these record numbers as public opinion towards oil and gas companies has turned sour after a year of high prices at the pump. Recently a tax increase of $5 billion has been proposed for the oil and gas industry although it is strongly opposed by President Bush, the industry’s number one recipient of campaign funds over the past decade. Congressional Republicans fear a backlash from voters after placing $2 billion of tax cuts for the oil and gas industry into the 2005 energy bill.
Continue readingBoth Parties End Meetings with Lobbyists:
The Washington Post reports that Senate Republicans and Democrats have both ended their practice of meeting with lobbyists on a regular basis. Democrats previously met with sympathetic lobbyists every other Monday to plot strategy and to keep the lobbyists informed of the party’s plans. Republicans, led by Sen. Rick Santorum, met with lobbyists every other Tuesday and will cease to hold these meetings – “at least for now.” Both parties had already stopped handing out job listings at these meetings although the Republicans stopped more recently than Democrats.
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