House passes ethics reform legislation

a "sham," "snake oil" and a "complete joke."

Wed, May. 03, 2006
House passes ethics reform legislation
BY KATHERINE M. SKIBA
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

WASHINGTON - After a heated debate over ethics rules for lawmakers and lobbyists, the House on Wednesday narrowly passed a set of reforms, 217-213.

House Republican David Dreier of California, who led the floor debate for his party, said the measures were "strong" and "bold" steps to put Congress on the path to reform. [JR: Only on the path?]

The White House saluted the changes.

Democrats decried the bill in the harshest terms, calling it a "sham," "snake oil" and a "complete joke."

Two GOP lawmakers from Wisconsin broke ranks with their party in opposing the measure: Jim Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, and Mark Green of Green Bay, who is running for Wisconsin governor.

Sensenbrenner earlier expressed reservations about the bill being stripped of provisions passed by his committee.

Green said the reforms "did not go far enough." He had hoped the bill would ban congressional gift giving and privately funded trips; he also favored stricter rules on lobbying by former members, Green spokesman Luke Punzenberger said.

Still, Green praised passage of his measure to disclose lobbying activity online.

The drama played out as public approval ratings of Congress are sagging and elections are six months off. On Wednesday, one Democrat after another invoked the names of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and ex-lawmaker Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

Abramoff skimmed millions from American Indian tribal clients and lavished lawmakers with free meals and trips abroad. Cunningham pleaded guilty to bribery.

Such scandals represent the worst in the House in a generation, said Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the minority whip.

Dreier, who chairs the Rules Committee, countered by saying the public was incensed by members of both parties.

Among key provisions of the bill:

_Lobbyists would be required to make quarterly reports, up from twice a year, and file them electronically, as they already do in the Senate.

_Lawmakers would be barred from taking privately sponsored trips until year's end as the Ethics Committee rewrites rules on such trips. House staffers would be required to take ethics classes. The classes would be voluntary for new members of Congress, but if they failed to attend within 100 days of being sworn in, their names would be posted on the Web.

_"Earmarks," the term for lawmakers' pet projects that circumvent normal funding channels, would be made public in appropriations bills as would their sponsors' names.

_Lawmakers would forfeit retirement benefits if convicted of bribery or acting as a foreign agent, including conspiracy charges.

The measure now moves to a committee of House-Senate negotiators.

House Democrats, who complained that they were prohibited from offering amendments, saw an alternative fail. They wanted lobbyists prohibited from picking up the tab for trips, meals and gifts. And they would have extended to two years, from one, the waiting period after which ex-lawmakers may lobby former colleagues.

House Democrat Dave Obey of Wausau derided the GOP measure as "consumer fraud masquerading as lobby reform."

Sensenbrenner, on the eve of voting, said the measure had been unacceptably weakened by the removal of provisions approved by the committee that he chairs.

The final bill had several amendments. One would make lobbyists who violate the gift limit subject to a fine of up to $50,000; the rules limit gifts to $50 at a time and $100 a year. Another would extend a prohibition on converting campaign dollars for personal use - a mandate for campaign committees - to so-called leadership political action committees, which are set up or controlled by candidates and office holders.

Democrat Ron Kind of La Crosse denounced the bill for failing to ban members from using corporate jets for official travel and to require disclosure of lawmakers' contacts with lobbyists as well as the fund-raisers that lobbyists host.

Democrat Gwen Moore of Milwaukee said the bill did nothing to stop abuses such as the GOP leadership rewriting proposed legislation "at 3 a.m. the day before a vote."

Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville heralded the earmark reforms.

Democrat Tammy Baldwin of Madison, pointing to the name of the measure, the Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act, said: "Wisconsinites aren't fooled by catchy phrases and bill titles that are all for show."
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/14494042.htm

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House passes ethics reform legislation

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BREAKING: House Passes Sham Ethics Reform —Think Progress, Thu May 4 02:59