in that little line--they make decent money, but it ain't the big leagues. If you have been in that game for awhile, you might be making between sixty and a hundred and twenty grand, with a mortgage on a house in Northern VA, notes on a couple of late model cars, the kids' soccer fees and summer camp bills...there ain't a lot of dough left over for fancy schmancy lawyers.
I'll bet there was a ton of arrogance going on--those K St. types just kept on buying the fancy meals, the drinks, and so on, and blatantly picking up the check, and left a paper trail that was easier than breadcrumbs in the forest to follow.
This is a great read on what they can and cannot do--needs ADOBE to open, but worth a look:
http://www.lobbyinginfo.org/documents/CongGiftRules.pdfA Member or employee of Congress may accept a gift only if it is unsolicited and the:
• Gift is valued at less than $50;
• Aggregate value of gifts from one source in a calendar year is less than $100, though
no gifts with a value below $10 count toward the $100 annual limit;
• Gift is not cash or a cash equivalent (e.g. stocks and bonds). The only exceptions are
gifts made by relatives and parts of an inheritance;5 and the
• Favors or benefits are not offered under circumstances that might be construed by
reasonable persons as influencing the performance of their governmental duties;
These limitations seem to make the gift rules very strict. However, numerous exceptions
dramatically reduce the scope of the regulations.
Exceptions to Congressional Gift Rules
A Member or employee of Congress may accept gifts that exceed the $50 value limit for
individual gifts and $100 annual limit for gifts from one source if they are subject to one of 23
exceptions:
1. Anything for which the Member or employee pays the market value, or does not use
and promptly returns. If it is not practicable to return the item to the giver because it is
perishable, it may be given to an appropriate charity or discarded.
2. Political contributions reported under the law, or attendance at a fundraising event
sponsored by a political organization.9
3. Gifts from relatives. A “relative” means a father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister,
uncle, aunt, great aunt, great uncle, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife,
grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-inlaw,
daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson,
stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, or who is the grandfather or
grandmother of the spouse of the individual. Fiancés and fiancées are also subject to
this exception, which is why engagement rings and other tokens are not counted towards the gift limit.
4. Anything, including personal hospitality, provided by an individual on the basis of a personal friendship. However, such gifts may not exceed $250 in value unless the recipient gets approval from the respective Ethics Committee. Though the rule does not
explicitly exempt gifts given because of a significant, personal, dating relationship, the Ethics Committees may grant a waiver permitting the recipient to accept such a gift.
5. Contributions or payments to an approved legal expense trust fund. Officeholders may establish this fund to pay for legal expenses associated with official congressional duties. The individual establishing the fund may make unlimited contributions. However,
contributions to a legal defense fund maintained by a member of the House are limited to $5,000 per year and no lobbyist or foreign agent may contribute to such a fund. In the Senate, contributions to a legal defense fund are limited to $10,000 and no lobbyist,
foreign agent, congressional staff person, corporation or labor union may contribute to it..........
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