Washington – House Republican leaders laid out a proposal Tuesday to rewrite House rules governing lobbying as they moved to contain the political damage from an election-year scandal over undue influence and access afforded to lobbyists.
In the first of a series of competing packages of legislation, House Speaker Dennis Hastert called for a ban on congressional travel underwritten by outside groups, tougher restrictions on gifts and favors, and the elimination of privileges for lawmakers turned lobbyists in response to three bribery and corruption convictions that have reached into the House. Inquiries related to those criminal acts are ongoing.
Congressional Democrats plan to issue their own overhaul plan today, and Senate Republicans are preparing one as well in a game of one-upmanship touched off by guilty pleas to corruption charges by high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff and an associate and a House Republican’s admission to taking bribes.
Though the plans differ, all take aim at the opportunities available to lobbyists to provide lawmakers with benefits such as luxury travel, expensive meals, scarce tickets to entertainment events, fundraising help, contributions to pet causes and other little-scrutinized forms of financial and political support.
“I think members can probably function very well in this town without having to go out to lunch with a lobbyist or to dinner with a lobbyist,” Hastert said. “They can pay for it for themselves.”
Democrats plan to push ahead with their own proposals, saying they are skeptical the Republicans who control the House and Senate will be able to clean up a system they have presided over.
“It is like asking John Gotti to do what he can to clean up organized crime,” said Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader.
Like the other plans, the overhaul by congressional Democrats would double to two years the time before a former lawmaker or senior aide could lobby Congress.