Democrats have taken more money from lobbyists than Republicans during the past 15 years, according to an independent analysis of campaign contributions.
Since the 1990 election cycle, Democrats have accepted more than $53 million from lobbyists while Republicans have taken more than $48 million for their election campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Data provided by the nonpartisan group also shows that when Democrats controlled Congress in the early 1990s, they consistently hauled in more than 70 percent of the town's lobbyist money. The group is a leading critic of Texas Republican Rep. Tom DeLay's ties to lobbyists.
"When the Democrats were in charge, they were getting an incredibly higher amount of lobbyist money compared to Republicans," said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "Now that the tables are turned there is parity between the two parties."
Last year, for instance, Republicans took in 55 percent of the lobbyist money, which roughly corresponds to their majority share in Congress.
Mr. Nick said the figures "take the wind out of Democrat sails" for their charge that Republicans have ushered in a "culture of corruption" that breeds extensive ties to lobbyists.
I'm a little underwhelmed by this. Saying that Republicans are morally superior on this issue for taking $5 million less from lobbyists then Democrats did is like saying that one bank robber is better than another because he took $1,000 less than his colleague.
Which isn't to say that taking lobby money is stealing, only that once you get pass a certain dollar amount squabbling over a few million here and there is sort of meaningless. Both sides have been raking in the dough from these lobbyists, and that's all we need to worry about right now.
Though this does sort of fly in the face of the sanctimonious Democrats who have been shooting their mouths off about the "Republican culture of corruption." Obviously not all of the money detailed above was contributed illegally or on a quid pro quo basis, but certainly Democrats have been just as beholden to Washington lobbyists as Republicans have.