Hard Times on Capitol Hill

As if things weren't bad enough, what with Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon spilling their guts about bribery and the corruption of public officials and good old Tom DeLay (damn, that man knew how to push a bill through at midnight !) swallowing the bitter pill and stepping aside as Majority Leader and the air filling with reform proposals that are going to make it a lot less fun to be a member of Congress, and poor old Duke Cunningham getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar so deep you could only see the soles of his shoes and having to worry about just what Jack and Mike might be saying about YOU and now this !

Time Magazine says the Dukester (that was Cunningham's nickname that became the name of the yacht that was one of his bribes) wore a wire for investigators before he was indicted.

You all know what that means. You've seen the movies. It means Duke Cunningham wore a small microphone and transmitter to meetings with other suspects and induced them to describe and discuss their crimes while the Feds listened from a nearby room or unmarked van. Those kinds of tapes make very bad evidence and horrible campaign materials.

It gets worse.

When Jack Abramoff handed in his guilty plea it was revealed that he had been talking to the Feds for 18 months.

18 months ! Long before his name was high on the radar.

Did Jack wear a wire for the Feds during that time ? Not yet revealed. But the mere possibility must increase the net flow of stomach acid on Capitol Hill by a considerable margin.

But you are not a Congressperson, Oh Best Beloved, and you can just

Stay Naked