flickr photo / Ho0n
Cross posted at The Hill’s Congress Blog
All across Denver this week at the Democratic National Convention, the congressional ethics rules designed to curtail wining and dining between lobbyist and lawmakers are taking a beating. The drinks are flowing, the meals are being served and the lobbyists are lobbying–often in a free-wheeling atmosphere reminiscent of the celebrations at disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s Signatures restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Public Citizen and others have been highlighting many of the lobbyist-sponsored parties at the conventions that seem to cross the line in violation of the new ethics rules. AT&T honored the “Blue Dog Coalition” at one party Sunday night and has another event scheduled to honor the Republican Main Street Partnership at the Republican convention next week in Minneapolis/St. Paul, despite a rule that prohibits lobbyists from hosting parties to honor “a member” of Congress at the conventions. And several lobbyists have sponsored formal dinners for lawmakers, despite the rules that ban such dinners unless they are part and parcel of an educational forum or conference and the lawmakers’ participation is part of their official duties.
Why are lobbyists and lawmakers so unconcerned about infractions of the new ethics rules? Because enforcement is virtually non-existent at the conventions.
