By Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, June 22, 2005

23 Jun 2005 // Lobbying is booming as never before in Washington, D.C. The army of registered lobbyists in the nation's capital has topped 34,750, according to the PoliticalMoneyLine, a nonpartisan watchdog organization. Overall spending on federal lobbying reached a staggering $2 billion last year.

Congress adopted rules a decade ago to meet the worthy goal of limiting the influence of lobbyists and other special interests on Capitol Hill. Members are generally barred from accepting gifts or meals worth more than $50 or taking trips financed by lobbyists.

But a loophole big enough to fly a 747 through allows senators and representatives to travel like kings and queens at the expense of shadowy, tax-exempt groups formed by lobbyists.

A promising set of proposals sponsored by two House Democrats, Marty Meehan of Massachusetts and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, would close that loophole and crack down on other lobbying excesses that magnify the power of special-interest groups on Capitol Hill. It has garnered more than 70 co-sponsors -- all Democrats.

Republicans apparently are wary of signing on at a time when House GOP leader Tom DeLay of Texas is the target of scrutiny for his ties to Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist under investigation for bilking clients out of millions of dollars.

But lobbying reform has little chance of passing unless both parties get behind it. Republicans, who took the lead on congressional reform a decade ago, need to get over their hesitation now.

The controversy over lobbyist-funded trips reached Central Florida this year with news reports that Rep. Tom Feeney, an Oviedo Republican, had gone on a junket to Scotland in 2003, paid for by Mr. Abramoff. Mr. Feeney said he had been told the trip, which allowed time for golfing at the Royal & Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews, would be financed by a think tank.

But because of the loophole in the rules, nothing bars lobbyists from forming a tax-exempt group to solicit donations and pick up the tab for congressional trips. In fact, tax-exempt groups put up more than half the $17.6 million spent on privately financed junkets for members of Congress since 2000, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.

Such groups don't have to report their donors. They are a black hole for special-interest dollars. And lobbyists who tag along on the trips financed by their groups get face-to-face time with lawmakers that ordinary constituents could only dream about.

Mr. Meehan and Mr. Emanuel would bar trips financed or arranged by lobbyists. Among their other good ideas, they would require better disclosure of contacts between lobbyists and lawmakers.

Democrats and Republicans should be working together on these and other constructive proposals to rein in the corrupting influence of lobbyists. The integrity of Congress is more important than petty partisan loyalties.