Cleanup In Aisle 9!

The Center For Public Integrity takes a look at how serious the Republicans really are about reform-

Candidates for GOP House Leader Also Have Ties to K Street

At least 19 former staff members are lobbyists

The three candidates running to replace Rep. Tom DeLay as Republican Majority Leader in the House of Representatives have their own multiple "revolving door" connections to lobbying firms, each sending former staff members, and staff members of the committees they chair, to work for major K Street operations.

Rep. Roy Blunt, (R-Mo.), Rep. John Boehner, (R-Ohio), and Rep. John Shadegg, (R-Ariz.), are linked to more than a dozen lobbying firms and other organizations that lobby through employees who worked in their Capitol Hill offices, making the major differences between their operations and Delay's not immediately perceptible...

The Daily Show (yes, them) did a good report on this the other night.

Not satisfied with the Republicans' loophole-filled reform ideas, the Democrats have their own plan:

Congressional Democrats urged a ban on all gifts and travel paid for by lobbyists Wednesday, aiming to seize an issue for the fall elections and taking a shot at Republicans they say have sullied Congress' reputation.

The Democratic proposal, which also would end the "dead of night" insertion of special interest provisions into legislation, came a day after Republicans outlined their own lobbying ethics legislation....

Now that's much better. The ban on 'dead of night' insertions in particular will definitely cut down on pork.

The Washington Post also covers this: Democrats Unveil Lobbying Curbs

Meanwhile back at the White House... more stonewalling on Abramoff. What's George hiding?

The cleanup continues... slowly...