Sep 14, 2006 -- House Rules Changes on Earmarking Statement of Meredith McGehee, Campaign Legal Center Policy Director

How little was delivered after so much was promised is shameful.

The resolution passed today on earmarking fails on the only account that matters - it fails to address the corruption issues in lobbying and ethics laid bare by the Abramoff scandals.

The House's actions this week on earmarks and additional budget transparency are not even a shadow of the lobbying and ethics overhaul that Congressional leadership vowed to enact after a string of corruption scandals put the pay-to-play atmosphere on Capitol Hill under the public microscope.

It is vitally important that the American people not be fooled by today's action. It should not be accepted as yet another photo opportunity to declare that the dragon has been slain, but rather should be seen as yet more proof that the emperor has no clothes.

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A few examples of the empty promises made earlier this year by Congress:

"If I am elected majority leader, there will no longer be a "K Street project" or anything else like it."
- Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) January 12, 2006

"Look, one of the things that we have to do is be able to make sure that our members are above question. And I think members can probably function very well in this town without having to go out lunch with a lobbyist or to dinner with a lobbyist. They can pay for it for themselves, they have means to be able to do that, if that's what we have to do."
- Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) 1/17/06

"I made the mistake of calling the speaker to wish him a happy new year on, I think, the 3rd or 4th of January. And as I do at virtually the end of every conversation with him, I say, 'Well, what can I do for you, Mr. Speaker?' And he asked me to do this. And, my first response was, 'Oh, my gosh, is this something more than I want to take on?'"

- Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA) 1/17/06

"To rebuild trust in the institution and our commitment to governing, we need to recognize that most of the current ethical problems arise from one basic fact: Government is too big and controls too much money. If you want to dismantle the culture that produced an Abramoff or a Scanlon, you need to reform how Congress exerts power."
- Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) 1/17/06

"Unfortunately, recent scandals have caused some to question whether we have lost our vision, and if the faith they have placed in us is justified. While I have no doubt that it is, it will be difficult to move forward with our platform until we regain the trust and confidence of our constituents by enacting new lobbying reforms and enhanced penalties for those who break the public trust. These reforms will include new rules governing privately funded travel, new public disclosure requirements for lobbyists, and new requirements subjecting shadowy 527 organizations to the same rules and regulations as others who attempt to influence the legislative and political process."
- House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) 1/19/06

"Americans are sick of scandals. To fully regain their confidence--and to retain and grow the Republican majority--we need to make a clean break with the past and return to our ideals… If we do not make a clear, public break with the recent past, there is a good chance we will lose our majority."
- Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) 1/18/06

It is my firm belief that, as public servants, we are obligated to protect the integrity of this great institution, and, most importantly, to represent the genuine interests of the voters who sent us here. We must re-examine the rules, so that the bad apples are exposed before they spoil the lot. Taking these steps will go a long way to lifting the cloud that threatens to obscure all of our efforts to deliver meaningful solutions to the real problems facing our fellow Americans.
- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist 3/6/06

"Influence peddling has no place in our, or any, democratic system. The reform proposal we will develop over the next few months will decrease the opportunity for abuse and increase the consequences for those who exploit the system. And ultimately, it will ensure that Congress fulfills its intended role--doing the work of the American people."
- Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) 1/27/06

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