"In the Mix"

Despite a flat denial from the Justice Dept., ABC News is sticking to its story that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is under FBI investigation. The network is reporting that Haster is "in the mix" of congressional corruption investigations. According to the story, convicted former lobbyist Jack Abramoff--who's at the center of one of the congressional scandals (remember there are at least 3 right now)--has "provided information" about Hastert and other Congressmen. As Jack only consorted with Republicans, we may assume that the other members that he implicated are also members of the GOP.

Apparently, at least one focus of inquiry on Hastert centers on a 2003 letter to the Secretary of the Interior, opposing an Indian casino that would have competed with casinos operated by other tribes who happened to be Abramoff clients. ABC also reports that the letter was written a few days after a fundraiser for Hastert at the posh DC restaurant that Abramoff owned; more than $25,000 was raised at the event.

It's important to remember that even if ABC is right and the Speaker is under investigation, that's a long, long way from an indictment, much less a conviction. Most people that the FBI investigates are cleared or, at the least, never charged. And it may be that Hastert's opposition to the particular casino was not the result of that fundraiser or any other undue influence; one of greatest obstacles to cleaning up our political system is the difficulty in distinguishing between campaign contributions that are meant to thank a politician for his support on an issue and contributions meant to buy that support. Which is why we should have publicly-funded campaigns at all major levels of government. But that's for another posting.

In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if this story has legs, and whether it damps down Republican efforts to play up Cong. William Jefferson's legal troubles as evidence that Washington corruption is bi-partisan. ("Vote for us, because we're all corrupt!" seems to be the motto.)

The tide laps higher and higher.