"Republican presidential candidate John McCain denounces "the broken system in Washington that too often allows lobbyists to write legislation and members of Congress to waste taxpayer money."

And Democratic candidate Barack Obama condemns "the pettiness and the game-playing and the influence-peddling that always prevents us from solving the problems we face year after year after year."

If you want to know what they're talking about, look at the indictment of Kevin Ring, a former aide to Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, who went to work for über-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

We don't pretend to know whether Doolittle's actions cross the line into illegality, but they're sure unsavory – and utterly inappropriate.

Fourteen pages of the indictment catalog Doolittle's favors related to Marianas Islands sweatshops, Puerto Rico statehood and Indian tribes far from California. How any of this serves the people in the 4th District or the nation is unclear. But the indictment is quite clear about who benefitted when Doolittle pressed Abramoff to give a job to his wife, Julie Doolittle."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Exhibit A in the case for change (The Sacramento Bee 9/15)
pwlat

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Rep. Wilson denies acting on Abramoff's behalf (9/10)
Abramoff redirected fees owed to lobbying firm (9/10)
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