Posted on 02/25/2006 2:23:01 PM PST by John Semmens
Amidst charges of Republican corruption stemming from Abramoff contributions, Democrats were unhappy with revelations that, on average, lobbyists have given 10 percent more in campaign contributions to Democrats than to Republicans since 1990. The analysis was done by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.
The study undermines Democrat efforts to paint Republicans as the authors of a "culture of corruption" in Congress. The study found that Democrats accepted approximately $53 million from lobbyists while Republicans accepted $48 million.
Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.), a recipient of tens of thousands of dollars from Abramoff, dismissed the research results. "It's not the amount of money that matters," said Reid. "It is the intent. Lobbyists give Democrats money to do what we always said we would do--increase taxes and spending. These are honest payoffs."
Reid contrasted the Democrats acceptance of "honest payoffs" with Republican duplicity. "Republicans are the party of limited government," said Reid. "It is dishonest for them to take money from lobbyists seeking higher taxes and spending."
Reid's effort is reminiscent of Tammany Hall's corrupt Senator George Washington Plunkitt's effort to distinguish between honest and dishonest graft 100 years ago. Plunkitt was a cynically honest practitioner of what today is generally known as "machine politics," patronage-based and frank in its exercise of power for personal gain.
(Excerpt) Read more at azconservative.org ...
Quick call the NY Times!!! I ams sure they will make this front page headlines!!!
Are we supposed to be surprised?
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