'A culture of bribery in Congress'

by David Grand
January 18, 2006

I borrowed that apt title from an article in the December 2 edition of the Christian Science Monitor, which was shortly after congressman Randy Cunningham admitted taking $2.4 million in bribes from a defense contractor. But was about a month before Congress was enveloped in a widespread scandal, which in the ratings given to hurricanes would qualify as a Category 3, which could go higher, depending on what comes out of the Justice Department's ongoing probe of corruption on Capitol Hill.

It was triggered by  "superlobbyist" Jack Abramoff pleading guilty to charges of corruption, mail fraud and tax evasion; and agreeing in his plea deal, to provide prosecutors and the FBI with the names of the lawmakers he'd bribed. "Casino Jack" (as he's known by admiring lobbyists for collecting $82 million in fees from Indian tribes between 2000 and 2004) allegedly gave out such lavish gifts as: skyboxes  for sporting events; meals at 5-star restaurants; trips to Las Vegas and Florida; flying at least 85 of them and their aides to the Northern Mariana Islands (a US Commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean); and trips to Scotland's golf courses, including the famous Saint Andrews links, renown for its deep sand traps. 

Among those who often landed in 'em, was then House Majority Whip Tom Delay, who now finds himself in a much deeper one for accepting Abramoff's freebies. And even if he's able to dig his way out of it, he still faces criminal charges in Texas. (Move over Humpty Dumpty.)

But at least he doesn't have to worry about finding another job. For he's a licensed exterminator in Texas, who recently completed the required yearly eight hours of training. Though I doubt he'd find it as satisfying as he did in exterminating his political foes.           

How many lawmakers may be implicated before the investigation grinds to a halt, is anyone's guess? Reportedly, the FBI is initially focusing on 20 of 'em. But that number could grow, since it was recently disclosed that Cunningham had, in the hope of getting a lighter sentence, agreed to wear a "wire" when talking to x-number of congressmen, also suspected of taking bribes.

Conceivably, it may be close to the number of House members implicated in what was known as the House banking scandal in 1992, which resulted in 77 of them either retiring or being ousted for writing bad checks on their payroll accounts over at least eight months. And with former congressman Dick Cheney acknowledging he'd overdrawing his account 29 times, but saying he quickly made up for the shortages. Apparently, however,  Bush viewed that as an insignificant misstep in his past, before selecting him to be his running mate.     

Meanwhile, those who'd received contributions from Abramoff's firm, its clients, or from his partner Michael Scanlon (whose agreed to testify against him), are stampeding like cattle frightened by lightning to get rid of the money, in order to hopefully prevent the cloud of suspicion from hanging over their heads, with charities benefiting from their sudden generosity.

But as Sun columnist Richard Cohen said, "It was a good day for Sen. McCain when Abramoff pleaded guilty to the various charges, since for years he's been fulminating against the outsized role and influence of lobbyists and the parochialism of lawmakers who, like the ridiculous Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, have turned selfishness into a matter of high principle."

I'd cross party lines to vote for that straight-talking, incorruptible senator in the 2008 presidential election, that is, if he survives the smear campaign that may be launched against him, which is in any way similar to the hatchet job done on him by Bush's confederates in the 2000 South Carolina primary.