Hill Gift Limits Often Exceeded, Lobbyists' Records Show

[hang a left]

Hill Gift Limits Often Exceeded, Lobbyists' Records Show
BellSouth Document Illustrates Gap Between the Rules and the Realities

By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, January 1, 2006; Page A04

More than 80 lawmakers and Capitol Hill aides are listed as having accepted entertainment from lobbyists for BellSouth Corp. at levels that appear to exceed congressional gift limits, according to a document produced by the company's Washington office.

The document, which was obtained from an employee of the telecommunications firm who said she was disturbed by the pattern, sheds light on one of the capital's worst-kept secrets: Congressional gift restrictions are frequently ignored.


The BellSouth records show that the firm's lobbyists were regularly out on the town hosting people they are paid to influence with drinks and dinner at Washington's priciest restaurants -- from Charlie Palmer Steak to the Capital Grille. Some of the guests feasted so often and so well that they apparently toted up bills several times as large as they are allowed to accept.

The experience is not isolated. "The gift rules have been broken steadily for a long time despite strong efforts by corporations to stay within the limits," said Douglas G. Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council, an education group for lobbyists. Paul A. Miller, president of the American League of Lobbyists, agreed: "If you call that an abuse, it probably is the biggest one."


snip>


BellSouth's Vicki A. Taylor said she was angered by many apparent breaches of congressional gift rules. (By Marvin Joseph -- The Washington Post)


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/31/AR2005123100719.html

[aquart]

1. Ask every incumbent: How many gifts? Worth how much? Who from?

We are at least entitled to know who bought them, and what they were worth.

[MichiganVote]

2. Just one big party in DC these days isn't it. Hope they're still smiling

during the 2006 election and we all call them on their fingers in the cookie jar. Americans have had enough of this crap.

[radfringe]

5. yeah

they'll admit to putting fingers in the cookie jar but then blame someone else for baking the cookies in the first place

as in "I wouldn't have taken the cookies if you hadn't bake them..."

of course there's also the other alternative excuse "everyone else is doing it...."

[MichiganVote]

6. This is the true scandal in Wash.--they are all swimming in graft

[roguevalley]

3. print names and gifts. all of them. every one.

[Thom Little]

4. Whadda joke

"The gift rules have been broken steadily for a long time despite strong efforts by corporations to stay within the limits"


Shouldn't he have said WEAK efforts?

[Toots]

7. A Culture of Corruption throughout government

I am shocked,,shocked I tell you.. After all the big to do about Clinton's Secretary Espy accepting tickets to a football game and how serious every Republican said that was and how much money they were willing to spend investigating it I expect a huge roar from them now...Can anyone else hear all those crickets chirping? :shrug: