Hightower Lowdown

The word "weasels" describes not only furry, burrowing rodents, but also corporate lobbyists who tunnel loopholes through our country's ethics laws.

Take Doheny Global, an energy and real-estate corporation. Last year, it hosted a week-long schmoozefest for potential investors, inviting them to hobnob in Israel with " an elite cadre" of power brokers, including such members of Congress as Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican. Participants had to pay $18,500 each to be part of Doheny's confab--but the corporation covered the tab for Congress critters and their spouses.

Wait--didn't Congress "reform the system" by prohibiting corporate lobbyists from paying for congressional travel? Well, yes. Lobbyists can no longer pay for the travel, gala parties, and other bennies that lawmakers are given on these junkets--but a loophole allows lobbyists' corporate clients to foot the bill.

For instance, the Congressional Black Caucus held a conference last year in a Gulf Coast casino. The health-care workshop was sponsored by Eli Lilly, the session on climate change was funded by electric utilities, and Wal-Mart sponsored a clinic on--get this--skeet shooting!

Since the caucus' events were organized by a lobbyist, the corporations were not allowed to fund them directly. Instead, they gave to a non-profit outfit set up by the caucus, and it pays for the events. Caucus members had to pay for their travel, but they could buy tickets using campaign funds, including money donated by the corporations.

That's what happens to reform when weasels do their job on it.