"Nothing Bipartisan About Congressional Scandal"

Gene Lyons

American politics offers few spectacles quite so diverting as the pious hypocrite unmasked. For your entertainment dollar, nothing beats the United States Congress in full scandal mode. Particularly, it must be said, a Republican Congress. So brazen and nefarious were the schemes of former GOP House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, for example, that it appears “The Hammer” might with more accuracy have been dubbed “The Chisel.” What with GOP super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff having pleaded guilty to five felony counts of conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion, and agreeing to help prosecutors, there’s no telling how many high-fliers he’ll take down with him. Abramoff boasts that he’s got the goods on as many as 60 congressmen and their staffs. He’s probably blowing smoke, but plenty of name-brand Republicans are having trouble sleeping nights. But God forbid anybody call a spade a spade. In keeping with Republican National Committee talking points, many in the media are loath to call it a partisan scandal. Every TV account I’ve seen, whether on CBS, ABC or CNN, has stressed that voters blame Democrats and Republicans equally for corruption.

If Democrats have any sense, they’ll emphasize two aspects of the scandal. First is the massive betrayal of faith and trust.

“Rarely has the contrast between the rhetoric of the religious right and the behavior of its leaders,” writes my colleague Joe Conason, “been so starkly exposed as in the Abramoff scandal.”

An orthodox Jew, Abramoff missed few chances to pose as a man of God and philanthropist while bribing legislators with casino cash. Former Christian Coalition choirboy Ralph Reed played along, admonishing the faithful in Texas and Louisiana to fight the moral scourge of gambling while helping himself to millions from Mississippi casinos that he was secretly working for. DeLay has rarely missed an opportunity to stress his personal relationship with God. He’s repeatedly lambasted Democrats for having the “wrong world view.” Meanwhile, his U. S. Family Network was building the nation’s “moral fitness” by taking $ 1 million checks from Russian oligarchs presumably in return for services rendered. And while this pious cohort has been lining its pockets, taking lobbyist-paid golfing excursions to Scotland, enjoying sumptuous feasts in Malaysia and sightseeing in Moscow, American families have gotten little or no help with issues politicians can actually do something about, such as stagnating wages, vanishing pensions and affordable medical care.