Today the Washington Post reports that incoming Majority Leader Steny Hoyer plans on making the 110^th Congress, y’know, actually work. The 109^th Congress, if it finishes up business this week, will have spent the fewest days in session — the House of Representatives only — of any other Congress in at least the past 60 years. Now some congressmen are complaining that they might have to — gasp — work a five day week.

Congressman Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) apparently is an advocate of a 3-day work week. This is his comment in the Post article, “Keeping us up here eats away at families. Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that's what this says.” This comment ought to be a nominee for the silliest and most embarrassing comment by a professional politician in the past year. (Another comment in this category should be “Dollar Bill” Jefferson’s declaration that he will one day offer an honest excuse for keeping $90,000 in cash in his freezer.)

As detailed in the Sunlight Report on the “Do Nothing 109^th Congress” the House only scheduled 88 days in session in 2006; scheduled votes on Mondays and Tuesdays at 5:30 pm or 6:30 pm at least 23 times; and ultimately will meet for only 101 days, the lowest number since God knows when.

The Congress this year not only didn’t meet in session, they also have not met in the committees, and have failed to pass anything of substance or necessity. In 2006 the House of Representatives held 1,204 committee meetings the third lowest number in at least the last 20 years. The Congress is also punting on seven appropriations bills because, as Rep. Mike Pence says, “Contrary to popular belief, members of Congress are human beings. They have a certain shelf life and a certain amount of energy to be drawn on. We're tired.”

Yes, working 101 days a year is exhausting. Thomas Mann notes that “Harry Truman's 'do-nothing' Congress passed the Marshall Plan.” In a total of 241 days for the entire 109^th Congress (2005-2006) what did these guys do?

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Glenn Reynolds notes that both Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are holding up legislation that would make the Senate have to electronically file their campaign finance reports. This process would save the Federal Election Commission about $250,000 and countless hours of work per election cycle, not to mention the numerous other benefits to campaign finance watchers. Now here’s the crazy thing: both Trent Lott and Mitch McConnell already use electronic software to fill out FEC forms. In fact, it is highly likely that they are among the 95% of Senators who use the FEC’s own or recommended software.

According to the Campaign Finance Institute, there is only one Senator who still fills out the forms on paper and that is retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md. Sen. Robert Byrd, R-W.Va., refuses to answer whether he uses electronic software or still fills out forms on paper. 

I can’t quite understand why Lott and McConnell are fighting a battle to keep wasting tax-payer money at the FEC and waste their own office supplies printing out reports that could easily just be sent to the FEC directly. Maybe McConnell is still upset about having to reveal the donor information to the McConnell Center back in the day.

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It’s August here in Washington — although if it weren’t for the classical architecture and the lobbyists wearing reflective sunglasses you’d think it was Pakistan from the temperature — and members of Congress are fleeing the city, running back to their districts to do anything that will help their reelection chances with an electorate that’s looking for head’s to roll (or as President Bush might call it, to have their “accountability moment”). Some candidates may have an easier time than others. For instance, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) is running uncontested allowing him to go on The Colbert Report and proclaim that he enjoys cocaine because it’s a fun thing to do. On the other hand we have another Floridian, Rep. Katherine Harris (R) who is running to unseat Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

Harris has run into numerous problems throughout her campaign including losing three campaign managers, locking her campaign staff out of the office, and “flagrantly violating election law in Florida”. But what has struck the biggest blow to her chances has been the revelation that she took tens of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions from crooked defense contractor Mitchell Wade while dining at the super-posh Citronelle in Georgetown. Harris has denied being under investigation and has claimed that never received a subpoena.

Now her third former campaign manager Glenn Hodas claims that she not only was issued a subpoena, but she lied to her staff about it. Hodas told the Tampa Tribune, “Finding out about the subpoena caused me to wonder about what was going on and what else I didn’t know. But I don’t want to comment any further on what appears to be a pending investigation.” Ouch. Does this mean she qualifies for the Congresspedia “Members Under Investigation” page?

Harris continues to trail Bill Nelson in the polls. The most recent Mason-Dixon poll has Nelson trouncing Harris 57 to 29. Plus she was recently told by her own party that she cannot win. Now that gives a whole new definition to being in a “K-hole.” Well, it’s off to Florida for Harris to try to get out of that hole and for Wexler to… well, do some fun things.

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Congress appears to agree with the voters of our online poll, Elvis will be spotted before they pass comprehensive ethics reform. It has been six months since the most flamboyant lobbyist in Washington caved under his own cupidity, seven months since [sw: Duke Cunningham] (R-Calif.) lost his Louis-Philippe commode, and more than two months since [sw: William Jefferson]’s (D-La.) congressional office was raided by FBI agents. In honor of these milestones and this Congress’ penchant for ignoring serious problems we should all remember those who have already fallen due to the unprecedented, and to lawmakers, unimportant, scandals sweeping the Capitol. 

The lobbying world has suffered the greatest damage so far. Abramoff and his companion Michael Scanlon both pled guilty to swindling Indian tribes and influencing government officials. Former congressional staffers turned lobbyists Neil Volz and Tony Rudy both pled guilty while former [sw: Tom DeLay] (R-Tex.) chief of staff Ed Buckham remains under investigation and [sw: Bob Ney] (R-Ohio) staffer Matthew Parker has been subpoenaed. Buckham’s lobbying firm Alexander Strategies Group closed up shop and the townhouse that served as its office was sold to Rep. [sw: Jim Ryun] (R-Kan.).

The lobbying firm Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White split up amidst an investigation into their connections to Appropriations Chair [sw: Jerry Lewis] (R-Calif.). Copeland and Jacquez, the Democratic partners, left the firm to form CJ Associates as Bill Lowery and Letitia White were being investigated for their close ties to Lewis’ earmarking. The firm misstated numerous lobbying reports misplacing a couple million dollars in lobbying fees received. Meanwhile Lowery Denton & White have lost numerous clients due to the spotlight shined on their activities. 

In Congress Bob Ney, [sw: Alan Mollohan] (D-W.Va.), and William Jefferson have been stripped of their powerful committee seats. Duke Cunningham is serving out what may be the rest of his life in prison. Tom DeLay was forced out of his position as Majority Leader and resigned days after his former chief of staff Tony Rudy pled guilty. [sw: Conrad Burns] (R-Mont.), [sw: John Doolittle] (R-Calif.), and [sw: Dennis Hastert] (R-Ill.) have all been scrutinized for their connection to Jack Abramoff. Jeff Shockey, an Appropriations Committee staffer and former lobbyist for Copeland Lowery, is under investigation for receiving a $2 million severance package that was contingent upon the future success of his former clients in securing earmarks. Former Jefferson staffer Brett Pfeffer pled guilty to conspiring to commit bribery and aiding and abetting bribery committed by an elected official.

Defense contractor Mitchell Wade pled guilty to bribing Duke Cunningham. Wade’s mentor Brent Wilkes is currently at the center of the ongoing investigation. Multiple clients of the Copeland Lowery lobby firm have had their records subpoenaed.

The executive branch has not escaped the dirty hand of corruption. The chief procurement officer in the administration David Safavian was found guilty of lying to investigators and his employer about aiding Jack Abramoff. Former deputy Secretary of the Interior J. Steven Griles was revealed to have incredibly close ties to Jack Abramoff. Three of President Bush’s top fundraisers — Abramoff, Wilkes, and Tom Noe — have pled guilty in public corruption cases. An Interior Department official who worked on the Northern Marianas Islands, a client of Abramoff, was charged with aiding the lobbyist. The number three at the CIA K. Dusty Foggo resigned amid an investigation into his connection to alleged Cunningham briber Wilkes. Porter Goss, the head of the CIA, resigned amid rumors that he was also connected to the corruption in intelligence contracting. And former White House political director and current Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman has been alleged to have kept Abramoff aware of an investigation into his activities in Guam.

All of this and Congress refuses to enact any kind of reform, to take any action against what is clearly not a passing fancy for corrupt activity but an institutional dilemma. I guess that we’re not all reformers now. As a sign of the times Tom DeLay is considering a return to Congress. Now that is all you really needed to know.

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Every year lawmakers go up to Alaska to go fishing at "a five star resort"; and every year lobbyists from the oil and gas industry follow those lawmakers to these fish-filled waters to hook them on their own line. American Radio Works went behind the scenes of this annual ritual in the circle of Washington political life and found a number of Senators, energy industry lobbyists, and our friend [sw: Dennis Hastert] (R-Ill.) getting together to break congressional ethics rules.

The event is organized under the aegis of a charity, the Waterfall Committee, supported by former Sen. and current Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski and his wife Nancy. In 1996 "the House and Senate banned lawmakers from accepting free trips to recreational charity events like this one". The Senate Ethics Committee went so far as to write Murkowski a letter to "expressly forbid senators from accepting free travel or lodging to attend this event." It appears that numerous members of Congress may have violated this rule by attending.

TPM Muckraker, Think Progress, and Soap Blox Chicago have posted on this trip as well.

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Another deadline set by the majority leaders in both Houses of Congress to pass the so-called lobbying and ethics reform legislation is going to pass yet again. This reform is like a car that stalled while driving up Constitution Ave. to the Capitol. It’s just going to roll back down, pass the Smithsonian, down Maine Ave., and into the Tidal Basin. CongressDaily PM has the report:

With one week to go before the July Fourth recess, the House faces a potentially packed floor schedule, but it appears doubtful that Congress will be able to pass either a lobbying and ethics overhaul or a pension bill before the break. House Speaker Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Frist called for passage of the lobbying bill before July Fourth, but a conference agreement continues to elude negotiators, and Hastert has not named conferees.

When those Abramoff indictments come down on lawmakers what are these guys going to have to say for themselves. Nothing. They have done nothing to clean their house. Instead we’re going to see a debate about flag burning, which I know is a huge problem in my neighborhood. I think that there have been at least ten children in my neighborhood who’ve had their patriotism crushed by a glassy eyed hippy burning a flag, chanting anti-government slogans. (FYI Congress: The proper way to dispose of a flag is to burn it.)

Like a bad teenager who doesn’t clean their room Congress should be punished.

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I guess Jim Moran (D-VA) was just joking about “earmarking the s_it out of” Appropriations bills if he were to become chair of the Approps Committee:

The Congressman’s remarks were meant to be light-hearted and not a serious policy statement; he is in fact very concerned with the irresponsible spending taking place in Congress. The Congressman has a strong record of fiscal responsibility, having voted for a balanced budget, supported pay-as-you-go budget rules and opposed what he considers to be the misplaced spending priorities of the current administration. Democrats are the party of fiscal restraint and will make it a top priority if they retake the House in November.

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Yesterday the House and Senate negotiators announced that they would meet today to pare down the pork in the emergency supplemental bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Here at this blog, and at many others, we decry the immense amount of pork that was stuffed into this emergency bill, but sometimes, in our outrage, we forget to explain what this pork has done. It has kept this bill from being passed and that has damaged our war efforts and our ability to rebuild our own country:

The White House says a money crunch is threatening military operations and training accounts, especially for the Army, and could slow training and equipping of Iraqi soldiers. … the Army will impose a civilian hiring freeze Tuesday and has cut spending on spare parts, transportation and travel.

And let’s not forget that residents of New Orleans are still unable to move back to their homes. Now, there are certainly reasons that these emergency spending bills should not be coming before Congress. We have been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for three and almost five years respectively and there is no reason for the Bush Administration to continue to hide these costs by not including them in their annual budget request. However, the Senate did not try and argue this point, instead they turned the emergency bill into a pulled-pork sandwich and have held up progress in a war and in rebuilding our scarred country. Next time any of these pork-pushers questions the patriotism of an American they should have to answer for withholding funds from our troops and from our damaged cities and towns.

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The Associated Press reports today that Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) misstated the ethics rules when defending his receiving of boxing seats and will no longer accept tickets to boxing matches to avoid the appearance of any impropriety. Unfortunately for the AP this story continues to misslead readers. Paul Kiel explains:

In an interview that appeared in Wednesday’s The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Reid said that the exception for state agencies only applied to Senators from the state in question. Therefore, the exception applied to him and not Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who paid for his seat, because he was from out of state.

That’s wrong.

It has nothing to do with what state you’re from. The AP caught that and brought it to Reid’s people. They admitted the AP was right on this point and Reid was wrong. And that’s how Solomon can write that Reid “acknowledged Wednesday night he misstated the ethics rules governing his acceptance of free boxing tickets.”
…
But let’s be clear: What Reid was wrong about wasn’t whether he was allowed to take the tickets. He was wrong about whether McCain was allowed to because he was from out of state. On the larger question, whether he was permitted to accept the tickets, Reid didn’t admit to being wrong because he wasn’t. Zinging Reid on his error would certainly be in order.

Here is the misleading lede from the AP:

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid learned that what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas after all. A day after The Associated Press reported Reid accepted free ringside seats to boxing matches from a Nevada agency trying to influence him on federal boxing legislation, the senator offered his own ethics justification to a home state audience in Las Vegas.

And he vowed to keep taking such gifts.

But Reid’s comments Tuesday quickly reached Washington, where several ethics experts concluded the Senate leader had misstated the Senate rules to his constituents.

Within hours of being questioned by AP about the ethics experts’ assertions, Reid’s office abruptly reversed course and acknowledged Wednesday night he had misspoken about the ethics rules.

Now, I’m all for muckraking and uncovering what our elected officials are up to in Washington — what they are doing in broad daylight. But writing a piece that seems intent on misleading the reader is unethical in itself. We already have enough disillusionment with our leaders who actually are corrupt. We don’t need some hatchet job article that makes somebody who doesn’t seem to have done anything wrong look corrupt. I’m sure that there’s more corruption and graft going on in earmarking and government contracting. If the AP wants to break a story why don’t they focus there instead of following dead-end trails that force them to make stuff up.

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Yesterday, I went over why the Associated Press article on Harry Reid and the nonsensical reaction by certain partisans was completely off the mark. I also said that it was my personal opinion that Reid probably should have paid for the tickets to eliminate the appearance of impropriety, even though it appeared that nothing untoward had occured. Well, Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker and the Las Vegas Review Journal reinforce my first argument while showing that my personal opinion was wrong. You see, it would have been against the law for Reid to have paid for the tickets because they weren’t tickets:

But it turns out that it would have been illegal for Reid to reimburse the commission for the seats. That’s because these weren’t actually tickets - they were credentials with no face value given to V.I.P.’s. And according to the boxing promoter who awarded those credentials to Reid, it is illegal for the commission to accept payment for them. Despite that, McCain insisted on paying, and so the commission simply gave his check (written for a seemingly arbitrary amount) to a charity since it couldn’t accept it.

What’s more, that same promoter says that in other cases where Reid and McCain received tickets that could be reimbursed, Reid paid. That’s a key fact which, if true, was left out of Solomon’s article.

So, Reid didn’t break the law and that is a story? Soon we will be seeing headlines like this:

“BREAKING NEWS: Over 500 lawmakers may or may not have done something wrong.”

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