Perri Nelson's Website 

The Culture of Corruption is alive and well

How else to explain how congressmen in jail for taking bribes can still collect tens of thousands of dollars a year in taxpayer funds? The Washington Times reports:

James A. Traficant Jr., the former Democratic congressman convicted of racketeering and taking bribes, is wiling away prison time painting colorful pictures but also able to collect a congressional pension of nearly $40,000 a year.

He is one of about 20 former senators and congressmen with felony rap sheets who can receive the taxpayer-financed benefit.

"They have lost their cases, lost all their appeals and still collect the check," said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, an Illinois Republican who introduced a bill that would stop future congressional felons from pocketing retirement pay.

"Millions of taxpayer dollars have gone to felons," Mr. Kirk said.

That's outrageous. But it's not a surprise.

Currently, only a conviction for treason or espionage results in a forfeiture of the pension.

...

Bills that would withhold the pensions from members of Congress convicted of major crimes have been introduced in the past and failed. They usually die in the Senate.

"They always worry that somehow they will get caught and lose their pensions," Mr. Kirk said of the senators. "They have always killed this common-sense reform."

Maybe if they weren't corrupt in the first place they wouldn't have to worry about getting caught. In most walks of life, the fear of getting caught and having to pay the penalty is usually a deterrent to crime. Apparently in congress the fear of getting caught is a reason to vote down any kind of reform.

The measure's supporters say they are optimistic this time because of the strong push for ethics reforms this session -- a response to voter anger at Washington corruption that is credited in part for Democratic gains in last year's midterm elections.

Isn't that funny? Anger at Washington corruption is credited in part for Democratic gains in the midterm elections. It can't have been that big an issue though, after all, Rep. William Jefferson was re-elected despite his freezer full of bribe money. Heck, he even received a standing ovation from the Congressional Black Caucus when he came back.

We'll see how far this goes. In my opinion it's just feel-good hand-waving anyway. The politicians seem to think that corruption is the reason for the Democratic victory, so they're eager to appear as though they're going to do something about it. This is the same sort of reasoning that took away our freedom of speech when John McCain and Russ Feingold wrote the incumbent protection act.

Back then, John McCain said that "everyone" is corrupt (apparently including himself), and that that was why we needed "campaign finance reform". A fat lot of good that did. It took away our freedom of speech, and opened the floodgates for even more cash to enter the "corrupt system" than was flowing before.

Still, the effort is encountering the usual skepticism among seasoned lawmakers in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle.

"I understand the image," Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott, Mississippi Republican, said of the pension payments. "I think the concept is achievable, but we had better be careful about it."

"It is easy to pontificate and take this great ethical stand, but then you have to ask yourself, 'Well, what about this senator's or this congressman's innocent spouse who still has to live? What about the money that was actually paid into the retirement system?' "

So let me get this straight. In order to avoid punishing "innocent spouses", we are going to give "guilty senators" a pass?

The specter of punishing "innocent spouses" also was raised by Rep. Charles B. Rangel, New York Democrat and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

"I would think the type of offense committed should have some weight, especially for someone who violates the public trust," he said. "We shouldn't have any different standard than any other part of government."

Keep your eye on this one folks. Let's see who votes for it and who votes against it. Maybe then we'll know who's truly for and against ethics reform in Congress.

My guess is this will go down to defeat. It's all just a feel-good show to fool the voters into thinking they're serious about ethics reform.

The joke used to go "How can you tell when a lawyer is lying? His lips are moving." Maybe it should be "How can you tell a politician is lying? He's breathing."

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Random Yak, Big Dog's Weblog, Right Truth, basil's blog, Stuck On Stupid, Conservative Cat, Pursuing Holiness, 123 Beta, Rightwing Guy, stikNstein... has no mercy, The World According to Carl, Pirate's Cove, Dumb Ox News, High Desert Wanderer, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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I'm starting the OTA early because I'm likely to be unavailable most of the weekend. Just leave a post and you'll get a trackback ping from me. Since I send trackbacks manually, it may take awhile for it to show up. Sorry 'bout that... ...

Right Truth trackbacked with "Hamas in Mississippi"

His name is Abdelhaleem Ashqar, a graduate student at the University of Mississippi in the early 1990s. He went on to be assistant professor of business at Washington's Howard University. Now, Ashqar, 48, is accused of being a high-ranking member

Butch responded with:

Perri,

This makes me ill.  I have to work my fat butt off just to make ends meet.  Ug^%*)!!!