House Democrats Prepare To Tighten Lobbyist Rules
By Jonathan Weisman and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post
In their first act as the House majority, Democrats today will introduce a package of rule changes to ban gifts and trips from lobbyists, restrict privately funded junkets and begin to sever the cozy relations between lobbyists and lawmakers that scandalized the last Congress.
But a number of loopholes in the proposal have led ethics watchdogs to warn Democrats that their work will be far from done, even if the new rules are secured today. Under the changes, lobbying groups would be able to finance lawmakers' travel as long as those funds were channeled through a nonprofit foundation. And almost all banned perks would still be permitted if given in the context of a campaign fundraiser.
As if to underscore the need for rule changes, the House ethics committee found yesterday that Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) took part in a 2003 junket to Scotland financed by lobbyist Jack Abramoff that violated House rules. The panel decided against censuring Feeney after he agreed to reimburse the government the trip's $5,643 cost.
The details of the ethics package were greeted warmly by watchdog groups, which have been pushing for a strong response to the influence-peddling scandals that erupted last year. Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, called it a "strong package." Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, hailed it as "a meaningful step forward."
But the same groups said Congress must establish an independent ethics watchdog to enforce the new rules, especially in light of actions such as yesterday's ruling on Feeney's trip. The ethics committee also decided yesterday not to punish anyone for not deterring the behavior of former congressman Mark Foley (R-Fla.).
(The rest is here.)
Washington Post
In their first act as the House majority, Democrats today will introduce a package of rule changes to ban gifts and trips from lobbyists, restrict privately funded junkets and begin to sever the cozy relations between lobbyists and lawmakers that scandalized the last Congress.
But a number of loopholes in the proposal have led ethics watchdogs to warn Democrats that their work will be far from done, even if the new rules are secured today. Under the changes, lobbying groups would be able to finance lawmakers' travel as long as those funds were channeled through a nonprofit foundation. And almost all banned perks would still be permitted if given in the context of a campaign fundraiser.
As if to underscore the need for rule changes, the House ethics committee found yesterday that Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) took part in a 2003 junket to Scotland financed by lobbyist Jack Abramoff that violated House rules. The panel decided against censuring Feeney after he agreed to reimburse the government the trip's $5,643 cost.
The details of the ethics package were greeted warmly by watchdog groups, which have been pushing for a strong response to the influence-peddling scandals that erupted last year. Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, called it a "strong package." Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, hailed it as "a meaningful step forward."
But the same groups said Congress must establish an independent ethics watchdog to enforce the new rules, especially in light of actions such as yesterday's ruling on Feeney's trip. The ethics committee also decided yesterday not to punish anyone for not deterring the behavior of former congressman Mark Foley (R-Fla.).
(The rest is here.)
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