Thus far Speaker Pelosi has made little if any headway in cleaning up the shenanigans of Congress. She has introduced the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which is currently somewhere in the House. While this bill addresses lobbyists and former Congressional members and staffers ability to become lobbyists (i.e a cooling off period before a former elected officials is allowed to engage in lobbying efforts) it at least appears to be a good start. However it lackins a vital piece of enforcement and that being conflict of interest statements. In short a conflict of interest statement signed by members of Congress on an annual basis would stop what has become an embarrassing trend your author has previously noted. A conflict of interest statement would prevent legislators in voting on proposed legislation where they, a member of their family or close associate would benefit. As much as Democrats have enjoyed railing against the perceived evils of corporate America, you know those guys that supply the majority of jobs in this country; these same entities in particular if they are publicly traded companies employ such measures as conflict of interest acknowledgments.

Your author has received email from the past that accuses him of being a Republican hack. Your author is not afraid to call both sides of the political aisle to the carpet.

The trend setters:

Former House Speaker and Congressional heavyweight Republican Dennis Hastert of Illinois-in 2006 it was revealed he failed to disclose property he owned through a trust that was located along Illinois Prairie Parkway. In 2005 Hastert intervened over a Congressional bill to secure $152 million in highway funding and improvements, which greatly increased the value of his holdings. Upon the sale Hastert reaped a cool $2 million. Additionally there is his son Joshua who is a lobbyist for biotech and defense companies.

Former Senate leader and current Minority Whip Senator Trent Lott, Republican Mississippi, who has previously campaigned on tort reform and stifling frivolous lawsuits that damage corporate America and make ambulance chasers such as John Edwards rich. While Lott gave lip service to combating the detriment of lawsuits he had no problem in suing State Farm following the damage to his Pascagoula home caused by Hurricane Katrina. It wasn’t until the lawsuit made news that it was revealed his brother in law, Richard Scruggs, is a famous and rich trial lawyer who won a windfall case against the tobacco industry. How on earth can Lott be expected to govern over any legislation that would curb the influence of trial lawyers?

The loveable ‘war hero’ for the American Left-Democrat Congressman Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania-who favors immediate withdraw from the Iraq War (admitting defeat) as his way of showing he supports the troops. His brother just happens to be Kip Murtha, a veteran lobbyist on behalf of the defense industry.

California Senator Dianne Feinstein whose sudden resignation from the MILCON (Military Construction Appropriation subcommittee) brought little attention if any from the big mainstream media machine. Feinstein herself has been tight lipped but prior to her resignation her billionaire husband Richard Blum made plenty of coin when time and time again Feinstein undoubtedly was able to swing federal funds for the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration to engage in businesses where Blum owned sizeable amount of stock. Blum also owns the controlling interest in the real estate firm CB Ellis, which plays a key role in managing properties used by the two government outfits.

Another baffling case involves Democrat Congressman Alan Mollohan of West Virginia. The heir apparent to the Senator Robert Byrd throne has hit a bit of a snag. It wasn’t until the Wall Street Journal, quite possibly the best American newspaper, that t he public became of aware of Mollohan’s efforts at getting rich at the expense of the beltway. In February 2006 the National Legal and Policy Center filed a 500 page complaint stating that Mollohan had hit the lottery. His assets swelled from $562,000 in 2000 to $6.3 million by 2004. Mollohan repeatedly failed to fully disclose assets owned by him and his wife. Surprisingly the New York Times noted in April 2006 that Mollohan was able to earmark $250 million in federal funds for five non profit groups in his home state. Several of these non profit groups were headed by a former staff member who just so happened to be involved in co-ownership of properties held by Mollohan and his wife. The irony was that at the time the story broke Mollohan was the highest ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee. However this expose of questionable business relations and federal funds did nothing to impede his constituents as he was reelected in 2006.

Senator Hillary Clinton, carpetbagger Democrat from New York and currently vying for her party’s Presidential nomination, has survived one ethical curve ball. No not White Water but rather ports and the United Arab Emirates. In early 2006 she publicly stated that she was against a proposed contract that would allow a Dubai based company to manage US ports. Meanwhile her husband of sorts and your former President, Bill Clinton, was busy taking big speaking fees to counsel UAE on how to go about in securing the contract. Is this or is this not a case of conflict of interest?

One of the more cantankerous members of Congress, Senate Leader Harry Reid Democrat from Nevada, has found himself in a bit of a quagmire. Reid likes land and he likes to get rich off selling it. While Reid knows the value of giving lip service because he was able to pass bipartisan legislation that addressed the issue of Congressional members flying on planes furnished by lobbyists, Reid can always drive to his dirt. In 2005 Reid proclaimed ‘good news’ for his Nevada voters when a transportation bill was passed that allowed for a bridge to be built connecting his home state and Arizona. Reid forgot to tell them that several miles away he owned 160 acres that would all likelihood appreciate in value.

More recently there is the case of Democrat Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska. This July Nelson was able to earmark, which is a fancy way of saying he shoved money into a bill, federal funds in defense spending bill that would have sent millions to his son’s employer. When asked about this transaction Nelson sent out a spokesperson to state he did nothing wrong.

Now with all these issues of personal and professional interest being questioned by your author has Speaker Pelosi lived up to her campaign pledge? No in fact she is just as guilty. While just the other day the Congress passed a minimum wage hike this was not the case at the beginning of 2007 when Pelosi stated she supported such proposal but wanted to reprieve the impact of it on America Samoa. In other words it was good enough for the 50 states but wasn’t needed for the island country, which is an American territory. In Samoa according to the Department of Labor canneries and specifically those who can tuna employ 55-60% of the country’s citizens. Madam Speaker’s husband Paul, who your author has genuine sympathy for, owns a $17 million investment in the H..J. Heinz company. Besides bankrolling the lifestyle of Theresa Heinz Kerry and that of Massachusetts Democrat Senator, failed 2004 Democrat Presidential nominee, New England gigolo and playing the part of second fiddle to Ted Kennedy, John Kerry; the company owns nearly 75% of the outstanding Del Monte foods corporation stock who in turn owns Starkist tuna. Pelosi had no problem that cannery workers would still make $3.60 per hour as long as the company continued to ring the cash register.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, this is Nancy Pelosi’s promise and her reality. So far she is sitting on a goose egg and we are worse off for it. When will she start addressing the key issues? Something tells your author when historians write about her it only recognize as being the first woman Speaker and little else.