The Straight Talk Express and Lobbyists

Back in May, two of McCain's top operatives were publicly outed as lobbyists for the crooks and thugs who run Burma. Acting quickly to avert a public relations nightmare, the McCain campaign loudly and proudly proclaimed a new ethics rule barring lobbyists from paid positions on the "Straight Talk Express." What a bold example the captain of the Straight Talk Express was making! Except it's a crock! The new rules barrs "active" lobbyists from being "paid" to work "full time" on the McCain staff. Those words in bold are carefully contrived loopholes that allow the McCain staff to continue to be populated by lobbyists. A lobbyist is a lobbyist is a lobbyist even if he's taking a leave of absence from his employer to work on the campaign....even if he's volunteering his time instead of being paid and even if he or she doesn't work full-time for McCain. Sourcewatch.org counts more than 100 lobbyists working in the McCain campaign.....only five had to step aside under the new, tough, bold rules!

Ed Lovell