The Daily Background

Sources tell CBC news that future-Speaker Pelosi’s new ethics package will be incredibly tough and the “real deal” as far as ethics legislation goes. Much, much stronger and more effective than the watered-down versions of ethics legislation that Republican-controlled Congress passed after the Abramoff scandal blew up. Here is what some of Pelosi’s rules will entail, if passed by the House and Senate.

No House member may accept any gift of any value from lobbyists, or any firm or association that hires lobbyists.

No free travel, which means an end to the corporate jet line every Friday at Reagan National Airport.

No free tickets to Redskins games; or no meals of any value, even at a McDonalds; no front-row seats at entertainment venues. No, no and no.

As you may know, Jack Abramoff gave hundreds of free meals to some Congressmen and others at his fancy four-star 3-million dollar DC restaurant Signatures. More serious hard-headed rules are expected to include:

House members will no longer be able to slip in special-interest projects on unrelated legislation. Such measures will no longer be allowed on a bill once negotiations between the Senate and House are complete.

Further, all bills will be made available to the public a full 24 hours before a final vote; presumably this gives watchdog groups a chance to flag any skullduggery.

Under the Pelosi rules, lobbyists will no longer be able to use the House gym (you’d be surprised how much gets negotiated in a sauna). Lobbyists will no longer be allowed onto the House floor or to use the cloakrooms just off the floor, preventing last-minute arm-twisting.

What’s more, no member or staffer will be able to negotiate for employment in the public sector without disclosing such contacts to the House Ethics Committee, and within three days of such contact being made.

Finally, all of this will be audited and investigated by a new Office of Public Integrity, and that office reports, directly and only, to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Some of these rules seem obvious (how are some of these things even allowed in the first place?!), others of it seems no-nonsense and hard-hitting and hard-nosed. Which is exactly what Congress needs. If these new rules come into force in the House (or even the Senate, if it passes through there), this could be some of the most substantial, effective ethics legislation ever drafted. Keep your eyes out for news of this come-January. Obviously lobbyists and special interest groups are probably very nervous.

Hat tip to The Blue State, by the way.

Filed under: Abramoff Scandal, Z-TDB Blog