From today’s New York Times:
At the same time, the Republican leadership ran into resistance in its first effort to tighten lobbying rules in response to bribery cases involving the lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Representative Randy Cunningham of California. While the House ultimately voted 379 to 50 to ban former-lawmakers-turned-lobbyists from the floor and the members-only gym, members of both parties derided the plan as unnecessary and woefully insufficient.
Representative Michael G. Oxley, Republican of Ohio, said the proposal essentially meant that former lawmakers who were registered lobbyists had to clean out their lockers while convicted felons who used to serve in the House could use the facilities.
“We are somewhat tilting at windmills,” Mr. Oxley said.
This doesn’t surprise me, frankly. After all, we need to have our priorities straight, right? What’s really more important: legislators making unbiased decisions based on what’s best for the country, or preserving the perks of free trips and meals that come from dealing with lobbyists?