Welch and Ethics: Redux

"Peter believes lobbying reform is an essential component to cleaning up the ethical mess in Washington."

That statement comes from Ole' "Ethical" Welchie's campaign site. It was put up last May. There it was, his supporters said. You just aren't going to get real ethics reforms with that Congress...Bush's Congress! It was impossible, they all said.

Welchie's detractors answered that, well, the party might be flawed, (and it certainly was) but their candidate was rock-solid on ethics. Never a peep about an ethical issue with The General. Trusted by her troops, the public, and the D-controlled state legislature who appointed her. Welchie....well, not so much. Something about "where winning is no accident," or something. But the mantra was clear: it's the party, stupid, not the candidate. And those R's just had to go man! It's the only way to "clean up Washington."

Ok, you get it.

We got it too. That's why we were so surprised to read this little snippet on one of our fave digital distractions. Catch it here. If you don't want to take the time, it's cool. All you really need to know is the headline on Wonkette: "Steny Hoyer is a Crook, Too." Actually, you should hit the link anyways; there is a really funny picture of a duck on there.

However funny that duck is, however, in our minds at least, the important part is still the words. About how Steny Hoyer "is a crook, too." But we'll let you be the judge of that.

The story, in a nutshell, is that Steny Hoyer, who Welch backed for his leadership spot over the ABSCAM-albatrossed Jack Murtha, is starting to really get used to his new role. How? Well, by doing what every self-respecting zillion-term House member worth his salt does when he's made it to the top. He's going golfing. In Puerto Rico. And he's bringing his pals. And his PAC is paying for it.

Who pays money into PACs, you may be asking? Why, it's lobbyists of course! And who's Steny bringing on the trip? You guessed it: more lobbyists! Enough to fill "137 luxury hotel suites." That's a lot of tee-times.

As the Wonkette post goes on to say, this sounds pretty familiar. Didn't the D's start really forking the elephant manure on to the R's over their leader's now infamous golf trip to Scotland? Yes, they did.

But wait, Steny's trip is different! See, while DeLay's trip was paid for by lobbyists directly, Hoyer's trip was paid for by his PAC, which was paid for by lobbyists. Get it?

Yeah, we do too. And it don't pass the smell-test.

What with these revelations being, um, revealed today, we were all geared up to hear what Welch had to say about this clear ethical blunder on behalf of, literally, his leader. An angry denunciation, a scowl, perhaps...maybe even an embittered yelp to show his clear discontent with Steady-Steny's ethical misdeeds. What did we hear from Welchie's office?

Zippo. No, not the cool lighter.

We didn't hear anything. Why? Well, probably because no one asked him. The Vermont Press? Last we heard they're all working for the Governor. No time to ask questions there! Oh, and probably because that level of disagreement ain't the kind of treatment Welchie wants to give to the committee-assignment fairy. At least if you want to keep those oh-so-plum-plum-plummy committee seats. Also, you want to keep that record amount of money you have, more cash on hand than any politician in the history of the state at the time of taking office, growing. And lobbyists do have money.

Read: you don't rock the boat baby. What do you do? We don't know...go golfing, maybe?

Just a guess.