Do they seriously think we buy it?

House GOP Leaders Unveil New Ethics Plan

House Speaker Dennis Hastert urged new restrictions on gifts from lobbyists Tuesday, responding to a scandal that already has claimed two Republican leaders and raised GOP fears about this year's elections.

Hastert, confronting a political crisis spawned by the Jack Abramoff scandal, promoted legislation that would end the practices of lobbyists footing the bill for lunches or arranging lavish "fact-finding" trips for members of Congress to warm-weather resorts.

The stunningly self-evident fact is that Hastert doesn't give a flying rat's ass about ethics. This is all about partisan politics. He's known about the lavish trips and gym deal-making for years. They didn't bother him before and they don't bother him now. And he knew that Jack Abramoff was in it up to his chin. The only thing that has changed is that it spun out of control and now Hastert is trying to limit the damage.