USA Today seems to think so, as they stated in their editorial "Looking for Mr. Clean? Not in this House race", about the upcoming election to replace indicted former House majority leader, Tom DeLay.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060126/edit26.art.htmThe top two candidates for the position are Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri and Rep. John Boehner of Ohio. Both are described by USA Today as, having "cozy relations with lobbyists and a penchant for accepting perks from corporate friends."
That's reform, Republican style.
"A third candidate for majority leader, John Shadegg of Arizona, is less enmeshed with the lobbying establishment and high-powered fundraising. That's one reason he's given virtually no chance of winning. Politicians who don't raise big money and spread it around to colleagues don't often find themselves in line to be congressional leaders."
"...The majority leader, second only to the House speaker on the leadership ladder, has a key role in setting Congress' agenda. DeLay, for example, was the driving force behind the impeachment of President Clinton."
"Blunt, 56, is a DeLay protégé who came to Congress in 1997 and quickly learned that money paves the path to power. In the past decade, he has raised $9.2 million for his own campaigns, half of it from political action committees run by a who's who of business..."
"The leadership race demonstrates how Congress' corrupt culture extends beyond DeLay and Abramoff. Those who rise to the top tend to be the smoothest practitioners of the system..."
"It's a seamy game... ...one at which the two leading contenders for majority leader excel. Blunt and Boehner are both calling for changes, but it's hard to take them seriously when they're so much a part of the problem"
"In November 2002, Blunt was involved in a particularly noxious episode: He quietly inserted a provision to benefit cigarette-maker Philip Morris in a bill on the verge of passage..."
"It was just the kind of thing that makes the public believe — with good reason — that Congress is for sale. Adding to the odor: One of Blunt's sons was a lobbyist for Philip Morris on Missouri state matters. And months later, Blunt married a lobbyist for Altria, Philip Morris' parent..."
"...Since 1999, he (Blunt) has raised $4.7 million and doled most of it out to colleagues facing tougher election battles. He campaigns for them, often on private jets loaned by friendly corporations..."
"In 1995, he (Boehner) distributed campaign checks from tobacco-run political action committees to colleagues on the House floor — an event so unseemly it made headlines... ...Since 2000, Boehner has taken $157,000 worth of “fact finding” trips, many to resorts and European capitals, paid for by special interests and non-profit groups — the 9th highest ranking in Congress."
"...Lawmakers who've spent their careers accepting perks and raking in special-interest campaign cash don't make for credible reformers"
Hats off to USAToday for this editorial. I couldn't have stated it better myself.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
