Now that Tom DeLay’s travel arrangements have come under intense scrutiny, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are digging through their report filings and noticing a few “clerical errors” — some which happen to be tied to Jack Abramoff.
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff paid at least a portion of the expenses for two Democratic members of Congress and two staff members to then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) during a pair of trips in the mid-1990s to the Northern Mariana Islands, according to a former Abramoff secretary and travel records published on the Internet yesterday.
The payments represent two new instances in which lawmakers and staff members on overseas trips had their expenses initially covered by a registered lobbyist despite a blanket ban in congressional ethics rules on direct payments by lobbyists for travel-related expenses.
The two congressmen were James E. Clyburn (S.C.), now vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, and Bennie Thompson (Miss.), now the senior Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee. The aides to DeLay were Edwin A. Buckham, now a lobbyist for the Alexander Strategy Group, and Tony Rudy, now a member of Buckham’s lobbying firm.
So, does this give Tom DeLay’s defenders new ammunition? Does it mean some Dems are facing DeLay-like trouble themselves? Much to the Republicans’ chagrin, I’m afraid it doesn’t.
First, DeLay’s situation is far worse. There were repeated trips, from several lobbyists and foreign agents, and hard-to-deny expenses charged directly to Abramoff’s credit card. Isolated incidents are easier to forgive. Even if they’re investigated, lawmakers are unlikely to face severe punishment for a single mistake that’s been corrected.
Second, it’s Dems, not Republicans, who are leading the charge to strengthen reporting requirements.
Democratic members of Congress today will unveil a sweeping proposal to tighten lobbying restrictions and reporting requirements, as controversy swirls around embattled House majority leader Tom DeLay and his ties to former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
The bill would crack down on improper congressional junkets by banning trips for members of Congress and their staffs if foreign agents pay the bills. It would also require organizations that pay for such trips to disclose in advance where the money came from, and guarantee that they are not operating as fronts for lobbyists.
The measure would also double the amount of time that former lawmakers and top staff members must wait before they can lobby Congress after leaving office, from one year to two. Fines for violations would be increased, new House committees would be created to ensure compliance with the new laws, and a searchable database would be created to bring more public awareness of lobbying activities.
And finally, the most important reason this doesn’t help DeLay is because it’s in stark conflict with DeLay’s message. Republicans can’t very well jump up and down and scream, “Look at those Dems who accepted lobbyist-financed travel!” when an integral facet to DeLay’s defense is that his multiple instances of lobbyist-financed travel is no big deal.
Sorry, Tom, you’re still in trouble.