Hightower Lowdown

Back in the 1990s, Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, and Republican lobbyist and rightwing anti government guru Grover Norquist invented the "K Street Project" to require corporate lobbying firms (which are mostly headquartered along Washington's K Street) to hire Republicans as their lobbyists and to give most of their campaign donations to the GOP. The unwritten quid pro quo of the project was that corporations that played along could expect a friendly reception for their legislative agenda.

Naturally, this quickly devolved into a system of thinly veiled bribery, with lawmakers trading legislative favors for lobbyists' cash. Thus, the term "K Street Project" became a pejorative for big-money corruption in Washington. This so upset Norquist that he's trying to trademark the phrase "K Street Project"—and he says he'll sue the pants off of anyone who uses it as a symbol of unethical behavior.

And you thought that Republicans were opposed to frivolous lawsuits! No, they only oppose your lawsuits. As a group, corporate Republicans are the most litigious bunch in America. Maybe Grover could trademark "Wall Street" while he's at it, or "Madison Avenue." Both have a negative connotation to much of the country, and Norquist could keep a whole circus of lawyers busy suing folks who speak badly of his trademarked streets.

A fun-loving group called The Talent Show has suggested that Grover should use his trademark to market a line of appropriate products bearing the "K Street Project" logo, such as gold money clips and paper shredders—and orange jumpsuits for the welldressed lobbyist's jail term.