Wonkette

Remember that huuuuge ethics reform package that the House and the Senate passed this year to control the influence of lobbyists and whatever? Does it surprise you that it’s full of loopholes? Us neither, but, naturally, one of us used to be a lobbyist.

So, in addition to doing almost nothing about campaign finance reform and the continuing ability of lobbyists to engage in the exact behaviors as before (meal-buying, etc.) as long as it happens at the same time as the delivery of a campaign check, Congress left a bunch of loopholes in the actual reforms they did accomplish big enough to drive a Mack truck through. One of those loopholes is the ability of Members and staff to travel on something other than the taxpayer’s dime.

Roll Call (subscription required) reports that Members and staff can still take trips as long as they are fully-funded by foreign governments through the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. Under the act, foreign governments sign agreements with the State Department (48 countries have signed 79 such agreements) and then staff and Members may attend whatever trips they want without Ethics Committee or any disclosure for anyone but the most senior Congressional staffers. Trips can be of any duration and no one has to tell anyone about it.

Of course, many foreign governments also employ lobbyists and there’s no rules about lobbyists participating or making the arrangements, but, hey, no biggie. They’re not corporate lobbyists, so it’s all okay.

Loophole Allows Overseas Trips [Roll Call]