Inside the Beltway. . . and Out

Republicans are trying their best to distance themselves from Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Speaker Dennis Hastert, who gave some of the money Abramoff gave him to charity, has appointed Republican David Dreier, chairman of the House Rules Committee, to draft new lobbying rules so they can put the scandals behind them before the elections.

Conventional wisdom is that Republican Rep. Bob Ney (named as "Representative #1" in Abramoff's plea deal) will be indicted soon. Also to be indicted soon likely will be Tom DeLay's deputy chief of staff Tony Rudy, whose wife received $50,000 from Abramoff in return for favors from Rudy. (Abramoff pled guilty to making the payment in return for the favors as part of his plea deal.)

But who will follow? What other Republicans are sweating right now?

And what rules will the Republican majority now impose? Republicans seem hot to trot now that Abramoff has done his plea deal and the indictments are coming. They were very cool to the idea late last year when Democrats Marty Meehan (Massachusetts) and Rahm Emanuel (Illinois) and Republican Chris Shays (Connecticut) proposed increased disclosure and a ban on lobbyist sponsored trips.

Republicans will pass some new rules, likely with substantial loopholes (because, after all, lobbying is constitutionally protected), declare the problem cleaned up, and start campaigning for re-election.

America deserves better. Maybe the voters will clean house in November.