PLEASE POST TO ALL YOUR FAVORITE NEWSGROUPS, FIDONET, ETC.

We figured they would pull a fast one, and it looks like they will.

Senators just can't keep their hands out of the cookie jar. They need to go for ski trips, golf trips, and fancy dinners at lobbyist expense. After all, that's why they went to Congress -- to cash in.

Read below how the Golf and Tennis Caucus is going to try to gut S.1935. Then realize that all of this was dragged out past the time that any newspaper editorials could be written. So it ends up being a bare knuckle fight between the Senators and the citizens. Makes you want to scream, "Grow up, boys and girls! Get in the real world!"

Just now, the Senate Democratic Caucus had a meeting at which Senators Lautenberg and Wellstone were criticized for even proposing a ban on lobbyist gifts. The anger expressed against them was incredible. The message they heard was, "How dare you imply that the millions of dollars lobbyists lavish on entertaining us and our staffs influences our votes."

The leadership lackeys, J. Bennett Johnston (D-LA) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), are planning to amend the S.1935 to remove all its gift ban provisions, replacing them with "strict disclosure rules." Like, "If we tell people we are on the take, it's OK."

SENATE

The vote on this bill is this Wednesday, May 4th.

This is it, for all the marbles! If you ever wanted to do anything to support a ban on lobbyist-paid ski trips, fancy meals, and other forms of bribery for Members of Congress, we need your help now.

We need to let our Senators know that this is an abomination. Call Congress at (202) 224-3121 before you go to work or as soon as possible and ask for your two Senators' offices. Give them this message: "Keep the strong ban on lobbyist gifts in S.1935. No weakening amendments."

If you are so inclined, call your relatives in other states and ask them to call. The more the merrier. Fight graft! Fight graft! Fight graft!

Thanks for your help. It's been a long battle. The next newsletter will give the results.