Disgraceful and disgusting. Those words pretty well sum up the rush by members of Congress to give up some of the tainted funds donated to them by Jack Abramoff, the influence-peddling, corruption-spreading money man now under the legal spotlight in Washington, D.C.
It's almost more of an insult to Americans that these politicians are now making a point of giving the dirty money to charities. The money and the reason it was handed over were just fine until they saw that Abramoff was pleading guilty and probably going to spill all the beans to federal prosecutors. Then suddenly comes this show of virtue.
As part of his declaration of guilt, Abramoff admitted that what he was doing was trading money and gifts for political influence with our elected lawmakers.
So far, about 50 of those who represent "We The People" in our Congress have piously announced they were going to return donations from Abramoff. But that only highlights the real issue: Why did they accept them in the first place?
Most of those implicated in the growing scandal are Republicans, including the party's top political leadership -- (among those returning Abramoff funds are some very familiar names: Bush, Frist, DeLay, Hastert, Blunt) -- but they are by no means alone. Many Democrats are tarnished too, including Sen. Hillary Clinton, considered by some to be a viable candidate for president in 2008, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Democrats' Minority Whip.
To his credit, Newt Gingrich -- a Georgia Republican who served as the party's Speaker of the House in the 1990s -- rose above partisan politics in blasting the pattern of corruption now being exposed in Washington, D.C.: "You can't have a corrupt lobbyist unless you have a corrupt member of Congress or a corrupt staff," Gingrich said.
Abramoff was one of those (and by no means is he the only one; the corruption in Washington, D.C., these days is so overwhelming it makes one wonder if it's already beyond repair) who routinely offered treats in exchange for a certain vote or other political consideration. Wining, dining, tickets, trips, campaign contributions, envelopes stuffed with money handed over -- all with a smile and a wink and a reminder, "this particular vote is coming up, please vote as we have requested and maybe more money will be shipped your way ..."
The men and women we elect to Congress are supposed to represent us and work to make our lives safer, healthier, better. Instead, for too many of them, it's about how can they get a little bit richer, a little more powerful.
Any member of Congress -- Republican, Democrat, or independent -- who accepted money in exchange for a vote or a political favor ought to resign. Failing that, the voters should have the sense to toss them out on their butts the next time they are on the ballot.
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