Surprise, Surprise! The Democrats Are Corrupt Too!

Dealing With Congressman Inc.

Imagine the surprise on the face of every American when we realized that Democrats in congress have been facilitating pork barrel projects, taking requests from former staffers turned lobbyists, sending earmarked money back to their home state, and doing what everyone else in congress has been doing.

While the Washington Post story about Congressman Murtha is news, the question becomes whether or not it is news worthy. If this story were written three weeks after the new congress goes into session and the behavior reported were to be current at that time (as in still happening), then smearing Murtha might be legitimate and newsworthy. But the Washington Post is a hack organization that is only interested in selling its paper and marketing its other services, such as the entire Kaplan family of proprietary career schools that are notorious for living on the edge of ethical and legal behaviors, especially in terms of financial aid, recycling students that have proven to be unable to support their effort to complete an expensive program, and walking a thin line when it comes to offering a genuine education.

But, it is true that Democrats in congress have participated in unethical--albeit legal--activities regarding lobbyists, earmarks and pork. What we are hoping for is some genuine attention to the problems of this type and some rule changes in both the Senate and the House that would restrict what can be attached to proposed bills.

In a post on February 1, 2006 I wrote about "A New Way Of Proposing Laws In Congress" that addressed these issues. The model I proposed significantly limits how amendments, earmarks and pork can be attached to laws on specific subjects, and would require congress critters to clearly state and identify the purpose of the proposed bill, in its entirety, as a part of the introduction to the proposal, as well as classify the bill according to no more than three subject areas. Any amendments or additions to the proposed bill would have to objectively be within those same topical areas. In other words, a bill on highway funding could not be amended to allow a railroad right of way provision, or the funding of a hydroelectric dam, or the study of the reproduction cycle of mites that infest the anal sphincters of wild game birds.

So, yes, John Murtha is not as honest and ethical as we might like him to be... He still had the intestinal fortitude, integrity and balls to stand up against the POTUS and the fascists in possession of the executive branch to clearly state that the war on terror has gone astray, the invasion of Iraq has also gone astray, the failure to provide our troops with necessary equipment is a criminal act, and the continued waste of lives, energy and money in Iraq is a moral failure on the part of the Bush administration.

Quite frankly, I am surprised that the New York Times allowed anyone to not only write about Murtha's indiscretions and violations of ethical principles when, in comparison to the illegal actions of so many others in the last session of congress, his actions were legal, allowed by the rules of the House, and in keeping with the manner in which the GOP leadership ran the house in the last session--make that the last five sessions--of congress.

As the Democrats regain power in Congress next week they would be wise to look to one of their own Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania for ironic inspiration in enacting the ethics reforms they promised voters. Even in the minority, Mr. Murtha made himself a legend at mastering the same quid pro quo culture that Democrats denounced in running against the Republicans’ manipulations of Washington’s money trough. His deliverance of masses of pork to favored campaign donors and lobbyists has been laid bare in a report by The Washington Post, detailing the sort of classic money churn that helped drive the Republicans from power.

It began with Mr. Murtha's securing $500,000 in federal start-up money for a nonprofit agency created by a staff member who eventually left to run the agency and, in turn, lobby his old boss. The nonprofit, with a goal of finding jobs for the disabled, soon became a magnet for Murtha-friendly lobbyists, contractors and other insiders. They became members of its board and raised money for the cause. In the process, they reaped millions in federal contracts with the congressman’s help. And, needless to say, they closed the loop with regular donations to Murtha campaign kitties.

This sort of mutual back-scratching was dubbed DeLay Inc. by critics denouncing Republicans for systematically flirting with corruption. Democrats in the new majority can expect much to be made of Murtha Inc. unless they enact firm, thorough ethics controls on their own behavior.

Congressman Murtha'’s symbiotic prowess with defense contractors and power lobbyists was an open secret that drew no great attention until the incoming speaker, Nancy Pelosi, sought him as her majority leader. She was rebuffed by wiser colleagues. They must follow up that close call by striking at the heart of the easy-money culture that besmirches both sides of the aisle.