Public corruption

Actually, I've been wondering about the spate of GOP scandals, and in the press briefing I just posted on, a reporter brought it up.

Q Scott, two questions. First about your predecessor, Ari Fleischer. There's a report in Roll Call -- MR. McCLELLAN: He's a good man. I learned a lot from him. Q Well, there's a report in Roll Call this week saying that he has set up a consulting firm on K Street to help corporations navigate the political channels in Washington. MR. McCLELLAN: I thought you were going to ask about the book he's writing about the relationships with the media. Q The question I had, actually, this report says that he's charging corporations $30,000 a month, and he's demanding a two-year contract. And I'm wondering if you have ever been tempted to bail from this and attracted to the lucre that -- MR. McCLELLAN: Have I ever been tempted to bail from this? Just about every day, Russell. (Laughter.) But I have no future plans, at this point. Q My second question is, on public corruption. There seems to be an uptick in public corruption cases. These are public officials who are charged with wrongdoing -- Governor Rowland and a bunch of public officials in Connecticut; and in Austin, Texas, there's a grand jury that, for a number of months now, has been issuing subpoenas. They're looking at corporate money that went from a PAC controlled by Tom DeLay to state legislative house races in Texas. And according to press reports it's implicating the Speaker of the Texas House, Tom Craddick, and it might -- they're also looking at the money coming from Tom DeLay. The question is, is this on the President's radar screen, public corruption? And what is he -- MR. McCLELLAN: I think it's evidenced by his actions, in terms of what we're doing to crack down on corporate wrongdoing, and -- Q That's corporate wrongdoing. This is a separate thing. MR. McCLELLAN: -- what we're doing with other nations to fight corruption. This President is strongly committed to fighting corruption. But in terms of a specific case in the state of Texas, I mean, that's a legal matter going on in the state of Texas. You need to direct your questions elsewhere. I don't know the specifics of that case.

Ooops. Nice try McClellan, but no cigar. First, Scott tries to switch the subject to corporate corruption, and when the reporter refused to let it go at that, he switches to what we're doing "with other nations" to fight corruption. Apparently we have no interest in it here.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.