Monk

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 — The 110th Congress opened with the passage of new rules intended to curb the influence of lobbyists by prohibiting them from treating lawmakers to meals, trips, stadium box seats or the discounted use of private jets.

But it did not take long for lawmakers to find ways to keep having lobbyist-financed fun.

-- David D. Kirkpatrick for The New York Times

Monk is so not surprised by this that I was going to pass by this story, but it is worth keeping for the record. You just cannot separate money from power, just as you presumably cannot separate sex and babes from money and power.

In just the last two months, lawmakers invited lobbyists to help pay for a catalog of outings: lavish birthday parties in a lawmaker’s honor ($1,000 a lobbyist), martinis and margaritas at Washington restaurants (at least $1,000), a California wine-tasting tour (all donors welcome), hunting and fishing trips (typically $5,000), weekend golf tournaments ($2,500 and up), a Presidents’ Day weekend at Disney World ($5,000), parties in South Beach in Miami ($5,000), concerts by the Who or Bob Seger ($2,500 for two seats), and even Broadway shows like “Mary Poppins” and “The Drowsy Chaperone” (also $2,500 for two).

The lobbyists and their employers typically end up paying for the events, but within the new rules.

Instead of picking up the lawmaker’s tab, lobbyists pay a political fund-raising committee set up by the lawmaker. In turn, the committee pays the legislator’s way.

Lobbyists and fund-raisers say such trips are becoming increasingly popular, partly as a quirky consequence of the new ethics rules.

By barring lobbyists from mingling with a lawmaker or his staff for the cost of a steak dinner, the restrictions have stirred new demand for pricier tickets to social fund-raising events.

Lobbyists say that the rules might even increase the volume of contributions flowing to Congress from K Street, where many lobbying firms have their offices.

As far as the sex goes, so long as you stay away from the kiddies, I suppose there is no need to even make a law against it. It's good to be the king!

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The ever droll and brilliant Christopher Hitchens affords us the opportunity to mark the Keith Ellison controversy, who I gather is the first Muslim elected to Congress, and who immediately made his big splash in national politics by insisting on swearing his oath for office on the Koran instead of the Bible, and who then had the flash of genius in using the venerable Thomas Jefferson's Koran for the ceremony. Mr. Hitchens recently wrote a biography on Jefferson, and he gives us some interesting historical background.

( Hitchens column )

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As The Who sang years ago: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

-- Al Kamen for The Washington Post

Incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has turned down Brian Lamb's request to allow greater coverage on C-SPAN of Congressional sessions. There goes another revolution! I am so shocked.

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Not even God loves Republicans these days: Tim Johnson has apparently recovered from his horrible ordeal. The South Dakota Democrat whose brain went screwy this week is now “responsive,” which is way more than you can say for Strom Thurmond’s last 20 years in the Senate.

-- Wonkette

I just like the shot at Strom Thurmond.

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Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) underwent emergency brain surgery overnight after falling ill at the Capitol and was in critical condition early this morning, introducing a note of uncertainty over control of the Senate just weeks before Democrats are to take over with a one-vote margin.

-- Charles Babington and Jonathan Weisman for The Washington Post

I hope he wasn't poisoned! Just kidding. We're not Russia. I think we prefer plane crashes for this sort of thing. Maybe Jesus just has Dubya's back.

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