Change Transcends Ethics (or Something)
August 26th, 2008This article speaks for itself.
Despite a campaign that attacked corporate and special interest lobbyists as evil and banned their money and participation, Sen. Barack Obama has done little, if anything, about their pervasive, free-spending presence at the Democratic convention in Denver, ethics watchdog groups say.
“I think he could have sent a signal to say I want this tamped down,” said Ellen Miller of the Sunlight Foundation, a political ethics watchdog group. “But he has not,” she said, “so it’s party time.”
A spokesman for the Obama campaign, Ben LaBolt, said the Senator could not “make changes to this year’s convention” because of the “very late end to the primary season.” As a result, lobbyists are once again spending millions of dollars here on gourmet food, top-shelf liquor and private lavish parties for Democratic elected officials who seem more than happy to play the role of world-class freeloaders.