Democrats: Police Thyselves

During the 1990s and early 2000s, we watched as the Republican Party became embroiled in a series of severe scandals. From Tom DeLay's infamous "K Street Project" to Jack Abramoff's corruption chutzpah to Paul Wolfowitz's World Bank nepotism to Mark Foley's racy emails to Duke Cunningham's $2.4 million in bribes to - well, you get the picture - the initials G.O.P. could have accurately stood for "Graft Often Pays."

Well, today the "Graft Often Pays" party is out of power, in part because of those scandals, and in part because Republicans did a horrible job of policing themselves. Now, with Democrats in charge, they run the same risk of falling into corruption, but this time it must be avoided at all costs. For instance, take this situation (please!):

...the swirl of allegations surrounding the PMA Group, a defense lobbying firm that doled out millions of dollars to lawmakers before closing its doors after an alleged raid by federal agents last November, and Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) in particular, is unusually far-reaching. The cozy relationship between certain members of Congress and PMA is worrying, and we're glad that the House ethics committee is taking a closer look.

The PMA Group, a lobbying firm started by former Murtha aide Paul Magliochetti, handed out more than $40 million to members of Congress from 1998 to 2009, according to the New York Times. The Times reported that members of Congress set aside $300 million in earmarks for PMA's clients last year; Mr. Murtha alone earmarked $38.1 million.

[...]

Reps. Peter J. Visclosky (D-Ind.) and Jim Moran (D-Va.), who, along with Mr. Murtha, are senior members of the House Appropriations Committee, also have been linked to the PMA controversy.

Fortunately, it appears that the House ethics committee is now investigating the PMA "pay to play" allegations, and hopefully they will get to the bottom of it in short order. The last thing we Democrats need is to head towards the 2010 midterm elections weighed down by the corruption - actual or alleged - of a few members. The other "last thing" we need is to allow the Republicans - as the Washington Post writes - "to reclaim the moral high ground and to damage the Democratic brand for the 2010 midterm elections." So, let's get on with this. Democrats, police thyselves!