Our investigative reporter allies over at the Center for Public Integrity have a new report documenting a massive increase in influence-peddling by the pharmaceutical lobby (Big PhRMA). Excerpt:

Washington's largest lobby, the pharmaceutical industry, racked up another banner year on Capitol Hill in 2007, backed by a record $168 million lobbying effort, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of federal lobbying data. Among the industry's successes: getting two controversial laws extended and thwarting congressional efforts to restrict media ads for prescription drugs. The spending represents a 32 percent jump over 2006.