In September, Rep. Bob Ney joined Randy “Duke” Cunningham as the second Congressman caught up in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal. Several top aides and influential lobbyists have also pled guilty. Reps. William Jefferson and Tom DeLay remain under investigation.

Despite a torrent of bad news coming from Congress, the House and Senate have only managed to pass differing versions of weak and ineffective responses.

In a scramble to cite an accomplishment on lobby reform, House members approved a so-called “earmark reform” measure that would do little more than help members of Congress broadcast to constituents the funds they secured for popular local programs while continuing to quietly insert special interest tax breaks and subsidies into bills for favored contributors.

U.S. PIRG is working in coalition with groups including Common Cause, Public Campaign and Public Citizen to urge congressional candidates to sign the Voters First Pledge calling for strong measures to curb the influence of powerful interests such as tougher, common sense rules on lobbyist-funded travel and gifts and meaningful disclosure of lobbyists’ campaign contributions.