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Congressional 'favor factory' makes lobbyists out of receptionists

Prosecutors:  The People.

Defendents:  Congress.

Exhibit 1:  Letitia White, former receptionist who rose through the ranks of Rep. Jerry Lewis' (R-CA) office to become his top defense aide.  Ms. White left Lewis' office in 2003 and now works as a lobbyist, earning upwards of $3.5 million in two years.

Exhibit 2:  Earmarks.  Lobbyists direct their clients to donate to certain lawmakers.  Those lawmakers then, coincidentally, earmark funds for projects beneficial to those clients.

Argument for the Prosecution:  An editorial from USA Today.  The editorial makes the case that White's access to her former boss Lewis, who now chairs the House Appropriations Committee (nicknamed by Jack Abramoff the "favor factory"), is just one example of the revolving door interplay between Congressional offices and the lobbying industry.

A spokesman for White says there is no reason to single her out from among the many Appropriations Committee staffers who become lobbyists, lobby their former committee and find financial rewards.

That is precisely the problem.

Argument for the Defense:  An opposing op-ed by Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA).  Rep. Bilbray co-sponsored just-passed legislation that requires legislators to disclose the earmarks they make, whereas before they were made in secrecy.

This is the first step of many in what must be an ongoing commitment from this Congress to blow away the fog of anonymity that surrounds our governing process. If we are to make a profound and lasting change in how this institution handles the taxpayers' dollars, then we must be willing to adopt changes that will enable us to be better stewards and more responsible to the taxpayers.

Cross-examination by the Prosecution:  The USA Today editorial board, on Rep. Bilbray's legislation:

Wow. It took nearly nine months for the House to make members do what they should have been doing all along. And even this rule is riddled with loopholes: It doesn't apply to 10 spending bills already passed by the House this year. Nor does it do anything to lock the revolving door that allows people like White to get rich selling access to the people they used to work for.

Have I made the friggin' case yet?

Verdict:  Guilty on all counts of neglect of the public interest, disregard for the spirit of reform, and putting their own interests and those of lobbyists and rich donors before those of their constituents.


Tags: Ethics in Government, Letitia White, lobbying, reform, lobbying reform, lobbyists, earmarks, Rep. Bilbray (all tags)


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Air America on its way out?

This article was taken from today's Washington Times newspaper about the ailing liberal radio station, known as Air America:

"Air America Radio, the liberal talk network, which signed on the air almost 30 months ago, yesterday denied multiple reports that it is bankrupt and going off the air.
    "If Air America had filed for bankruptcy every time someone rumored it to be doing so, we would have ceased to exist long ago," spokeswoman Jaime Horn told reporter Jennifer Harper of The Washington Times. "It may be frustrating to some that this hasn't happened. No decision has been taken to make any filing of any kind. We are not sure of the source of these rumors, and frankly cannot respond to every rumor in the marketplace."
    But the rumors were loud and clear yesterday from ThinkProgress.org, an online blog produced by the District-based Center for American Progress, which reported that the network would file for bankruptcy tomorrow, adding, "Air America could remain on the air under the deal, but significant personnel changes are already in the works."
    Sources at the New York Daily News and media watchdog blogs such as Newsbusters also have reported the Manhattan-based network was "so broke" that it could no longer pay personnel or subscribe to wire services.

One could only hope for the sake of Cause Common, that this radio station stays in business as it is one of only a few that support CCs ideas, since conservative talk shows don't support, ideas that help Los Demócratas.

by La Perla on Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:24:18 PM EST


Don't duplicate posts

La Perla, and anyone else who does the same regularly, this is a warning not to post duplicate comments on different topics, especially when the comment is irrelevant to the topic of the post.  

If you do this again, I will delete the duplicate comment.

by Kirstin Ellison on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 09:18:17 AM EST


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