House Democrats boast that their proposed ethics legislation will ban travel provided by lobbying organizations to lawmakers. Don't believe it.
Maneuvering by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and others has opened a gaping loophole in the bill. Lobbies such as AIPAC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have their own nonprofit foundations, which will still be allowed to underwrite congressional junkets under the new rules.
Watch for more lobbying groups to set up their own "non-lobbying" foundation affiliates as a result.
Jeffrey H. Birnbaum writes about the intersection of government and business every Tuesday. His e-mail address iskstreet@washpost.com.
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