The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held the first Senate hearing on lobbying reforms, with Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) calling for an end to the system of legislative earmarks.

McCain, the chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said corruption in Washington won't go away until earmarks, riders or "pork barrel" projects are eliminated from the legislative process. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), also a member of Indian Affairs, supported the proposal.

Other lawmakers floated their own reforms but representatives of the lobbying industry indicated resistance. They are trying to paint Jack Abramoff as an isolated case.

Get the Story:
McCain Calls to Reform Pork Barrel Politics (The Washington Post 1/25)
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Senators Say Ethics Beyond Lobbying Reform (AP 1/25)
Washington Sketch: For Would-Be Lobbying Reformers, Money Habit Is Hard to Kick (The Washington Post 1/26)
K Street Confidential: GOP Freezes Jobs List, a Vestige of the K Street Project (The Washington Post 1/26)
Lobbyists Oppose Efforts to Impose New Restrictions (The New York Times 1/26)
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Lobbying Reform Bills:
S.2128 | S.1312

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