EVIDENCE OF RICK SANTORUM'S CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR CONTINUES TO MOUNT IN K STREET LOBBYING SCAM

With all the Republican Culture of Corruption buzz going around, there's still only one Republican congressman in prison (Randy "Duke" Cunningham) and only one currently on trial (House GOP Capo de Tutti Capi Tom DeLay) and probably just half a dozen with imminent indictments pending (Bob Ney, Jerry Lewis, Duncan Hunter, Virgil Goode, John Doolittle, Richard Pombo, Katherine Harris, Conrad Burns...) I mean, is that all there is?

Well, actually not. Forget for a moment the continuing investigation of the Insider Trading imbroglio being investigated in regard to the Frist Family billions. There are several matters involving the GOP #3 man (on dog) in the U.S. Senate, Rick Santorum (R-Opus Dei PA). I'm not talking about Santorum's suspiciously purchased home or even any fake Republican "charities" he may have been involved with. Nope; this is a big one. It's actually being covered in the mainstream media!!

In fact, today's WASHINGTON POST has a story by Jeff Birnbaum and Charles Babington about how Santorum, the man Frist, in an unintentional or out-of-character display of irony, put in charge of Republican senatorial ethics, has "resumed" (after a 2.5 minute suspension) his activities with the Republican K Street lobbyists.

The POST points out this morning that "After saying in January that he would end his regular meetings with lobbyists, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), the third-ranking GOP leader in the Senate, has continued to meet with many of the same lobbyists at the same time and on the same day of the week." [What a coinkidink!] "Santorum has held two meetings attended by the same core group of lobbyists, and has used the sessions to appeal for campaign aid, according to participants. Both of those meetings were convened at the same time as the previous meetings -- 8:30 a.m. -- on the same day of the week -- Tuesday -- and they lasted for about as long as the earlier meetings -- one hour... One lobbyist called the attendees 'the usual suspects,' and said they were among the city's best-known lobbyists whose firms represent financial services, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, oil production and tobacco companies. The lobbyist added: 'There were two or three people from his [Santorum's] campaign who didn't go to meetings at the Capitol. I don't think beyond that that I recognized anybody new.'"

Maybe Santorum's defense would be that although he met with the same crooks at the same time as always on the same day as always (and talked about the same stuff as always: bribes), at least he moved the venue! Ah ha! "Instead of being held in the Capitol, however, the recent meetings were conducted nearby. The first was held about three blocks away, at the headquarters of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the second was held around the corner from that building, at the Heritage Foundation." Santorum's other line of defense: a photo-op with the GOP's fake reformer: John McCain.

According to the POST, "Democrats note that Santorum's campaign has received more money from lobbyists than any other congressional candidacy thus far in the 2006 election cycle." (Another coinkidink! A pattern of coinkidinks when it comes to Santorum and institutional and systematic bribery?)