WASHINGTON - During his campaign against Republican Rick Santorum, Democrat Bob Casey Jr. railed against a GOP operation to force lobbying firms and trade associations to favor Republicans in hiring.
Contact staff writer Steve Goldstein at 202-408-2758 or slgoldstein@phillynews.com.
With his first Senate floor speech and first amendment, Casey, who defeated Santorum in the Pennsylvania race, yesterday tried to put a stake in the mostly defunct operation, making it a federal crime for a Congress member to wrongfully influence a private entity's employment decisions.
"We can once and for all tear out by the roots the corrupt practices that unfortunately became known as the K Street Project," Casey said.
Offenders could be fined and imprisoned for up to 15 years and barred from holding public office.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), floor manager of the ethics bill, said she supported the amendment and would ask Republicans to add it to the bill without a vote.
The Senate ethics bill is intended to create greater transparency and accountability in legislative practices, including eliminating the secrecy surrounding earmarks, or member-designated spending programs. The bill has broad bipartisan support and is expected to pass this week.
House Democrats passed a similar ethics package last week, including a ban on gifts from lobbyists, restrictions on privately funded travel, and a prohibition against influencing the hiring practices of private companies.
The K Street Project was orchestrated by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas and other Republicans, and was an effort to use the favor of the GOP majority in Congress to get more Republicans hired by lobby shops and trade associations. Washington's K Street is a favored address for such organizations.
Casey alleged that Santorum, the No. 3 Republican in the Senate, who had regular meetings with lobbyists to talk about the GOP message, was part of the K Street Project. Santorum denied that he used his meetings to coerce employers.
In his short speech on the Senate floor, Casey described the ethics bill as "critically important." The practices of the K Street Project were "an effort to have a corrupting influence" on hiring decisions, on political fund-raising, and even government priorities by promising political access.
"My amendment to close the K Street Project and to make its coercive practices a federal crime will help to restore the public trust," he added.
Contact staff writer Steve Goldstein at 202-408-2758 or slgoldstein@phillynews.com.
