Many lawmakers hopes Congress would ram through wide-ranging lobbying reform legislation before the midterm elections. But congress is about to adjourn without a bill. House Majority Leader John Boehner of southwest Ohio defends some of that congressional inaction in the wake of the plea agreement by Republican Central Ohio representative Bob Ney. Chad Pergram reports from Capitol Hill. Lobbying reform stalled in the Senate over a disagreement over how to regulate so-called independent 527 groups which try to sway election. But John Boehner says the House did it's job tightening rules on earmarks, special spending provisions lawmakers slip into bills to benefit their districts. Boehner declared that progress.
We can have an argument about whether the glass is half full or half empty. I'll argue that the glass is half full, says Boehner.
Boehner downplayed the need for deeper reform now saying, it's pretty clear that the laws we have today are working real well, because guess what, they got caught for crimes that they committed, and they're going to pay dearly for it. So we've got members... one member in jail, one on his way.
The one on his way is Bob Ney, he is due to appear in court in a couple of weeks.
Chad Pergram, WOSU News, Capitol Hill