Yes, John Boehner Sleeps With Lobbyists-- And Not Just Figuratively

"Everyone" (but the voters) knew Mark Foley (R-FL) was molesting underage boys and "everyone" (but the voters) knew Larry Craig (R-ID) was trolling the Washington, DC public toilets looking for love and "everyone" (but the voters) knew John Boehner was an inveterate skirt-chaser who's had numerous affairs. His poor wife, Debbie, never leaves the gated community of McMansions he has her stashed away in. But what makes the Boehner sex scandal more compelling is that he's doing it with a lobbyist-- and everyone, even the voters know he's one politician infamous for his shady relations with lobbyists-- and that he had warned Republican caucus members back in July that they weren't allowed to screw the whores attractive young female "lobbyists" that the big K Street firms hire specifically to get on the good side of legislators-- at least not until after the elections. Notorious GOP philanderers Lee Terry, Duncan Hunter, Jr. (a lazy alcoholic like Boehner), Sam Graves, and Bill Shuster were singled out for special lectures. And the GOP closeted gay blades-- like David Dreier, Patrick McHenry, Trent Franks, Adrian Smith, Aaron Schock, etc-- were all told to keep it buttoned up 'til November or risk being out in the cold.

So to have Mike Pence leak the news to the media about Boehner running around with a female lobbyist wasn't remarkable because of the sex and hypocrisy, it was remarkable because of the motivation inside the GOP caucus to keep Boehner from ever becoming Speaker, where even those people realize what a catastrophe that would be for America.

Meanwhile, this week Boehner and his cronies tried again to derail Democratic plans to push the toxic corrupting influence of corporate lobbyists and corporate cash out of the political system. Two weeks ago Boehner was at the home of crooked real estate magnate Angelo Tsakopoulos raising campaign cash for one of California's dirtiest politicians, Dan Lungren. This week, when most Republicans were unwilling to go on the record about why the party allowed lobbyists to write The Pledge and why the GOP was opposing both the DISCLOSE Act and the Fair Elections Now Act, Lungren was the one to come out publicly, albeit in committee, against campaign finance reform.

Lungren introduced an amendment that would take money donated to a public election fund and use it to offset the deficit, in the event there is a deficit.

The committee passed the Fair Elections Now Act (H.R. 6116/1826), legislation that would take members of Congress off the fundraising treadmill and let them focus on their constituents.

The Fair Elections Now Act would allow candidates for Congress to run competitive campaigns for office by relying on small contributions from back home. Candidates would collect donations of $100 or less from residents of their state, which would then be matched four-to-one with Fair Elections funds. Fair Elections would be funded by the sale of unused broadcast spectrum, ensuring that in this time of debt and deficits, it wouldn't cost taxpayers a dime.

With Fair Elections, constituents don't have to wonder if their elected officials are standing up for them or their big money donors when casting their votes on Capitol Hill. Congress would be accountable to them, not wealthy donors or lobbyists.

I might add that all Blue America incumbents are already co-sponsors of the legislation and that all Blue America candidates have pledged to sign on as co-sponsors if they are elected. Today we'll be chatting live with New Jersey progressive Ed Potosnak, Blue America's newest endorsee, a stalwart enthusiast of taking corporate cash out of the political system. Last night I spoke with Ed on the phone and this is what he said about the brewing scandal:

I am sick and tired of career politicians who pal around with lobbyists, taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from them to fill their campaign coffers and then representing their special interests instead of voting for the needs of our families and businesses. We need real world people in Congress to stand up against these special interests, pass tough campaign finance reforms, and allow the voice of the American people to be heard over the shouts of special interests. I think it is absolute disgrace the Republican Platform was written by a lobbyist--it speaks volumes to where Rep. Boehner and my opponent Congressman Lance's interests lie.

And speaking of Blue America candidates, because of the money you've been donating to Justin Coussoule's campaign-- and, remember, he has not gotten even one slim dime from the Blue Dog-obsessed DCCC-- the campaign has these two ads that will start running in southwest Ohio on Monday. Please keep sending Justin's campaign the money they need to keep running these ads-- and help put John Boehner out of business... permanently. It costs just under $900 for a whole week of the Colbert show in every nook and cranny of the district.