Feingold tried to close gaping loophole in Senators accepting free meals

[flpoljunkie]

from the organizations the lobbyists represent in Washington, D.C. Senator Dodd even agreed that yes, his bill would permit the lobbyist's secretary to pay for the meal with a company credit card, thereby circumventing the rule that no meals will be paid for by lobbyists.

Can you say "Mack truck" loophole?

And what did he get for his efforts? His amendment was tabled by a vote of 68-30, led by Senator Christopher Dodd, the Dem floor manager for the lobby reform bill. Roll call vote below:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00080

Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---68
Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chafee (R-RI)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---30
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Burns (R-MT)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coburn (R-OK)
Dayton (D-MN)
DeWine (R-OH)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Levin (D-MI)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Salazar (D-CO)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Talent (R-MO)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 2
Byrd (D-WV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)

[IsItJustMe]

1. Seems like many Senators just can't say no to a free meal. And yet they

wonder why many people believe that there is no integrity in our government. Duh!

[Mass]

2. Even worse - the Independent Office for Public Integrity was defeated

yesterday.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00077

And only 6 Democrats voted against cloture on the bill.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00079

[radio4progressives]

3. Both Dodd and Schumer worked to Undermine Senator Feingold Today

on the floor of the Senate. I posted a thread on the Schumer thing earlier and -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2540923

i'm freaking pissed - but I'm paying attention and apparently those who feel the same as I do are a "small minority" on the "left".

[flpoljunkie]

4. Lieberman did have the class to admit that Feingold submitted lobby reform

bill over a year ago-where it languished in the Senate. The Abramoff scandal, of course, finally brought this issue to the fore.

[radio4progressives]

5. I just heard him say that.. can you say "reading the polls"?

Lieberman is suddenly reading the popularity polls, and saw Feingold's shoot up while his sinking below sea level...

these guys, i'll tell ya.. charlatans!

[radio4progressives]

6. this needed to be rated up and i forgot to do that earlier...

so here's letting the sunshine in! :thumbsup: