Battleground II

Olson thinks so. He told me yesterday blogs are the new 527s. He's not alone. Bradley Smith of the Federal Elections Commission has made a push -- so far unsuccessful -- to view blogs that way.

That some Republicans are just as corruptible as some Democrats won't surprise students of human nature. But it is an insult to the conservative voters who elected this class of Republicans and expected better, the Journal said.

Reportedly, Rep. Gil Gutknecht received a few hundred dollars in the mid-'90s.

By the way, here's a list of politicians who are not returning Abramoff-connected money.

HOUSE:
Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, $1,000
Mary Bono, R-Calif., $21,500
Norm Dicks, D-Wash., $1,000
John Doolittle, R-Calif., $50,000
Phil English, R-Pa., $5,000
Scott Garrett, R-N.J., $1,000
J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., $150,000
Jay Inslee, D-Wash., $5,000
Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., $42,500
Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., less than $10,000
Robert Menendez, D-N.J., $2,000
Anne Northup, R-Ky., $1,000
Jim Oberstar, D-Minn. $3,500
Frank Pallone, D-N.J., $13,600
Joe Pitts, R-Pa., $894 'in-kind' donation of food from Abramoff
Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., $47,000
Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., less than $10,000
Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., at least $7,000
Pete Sessions, R-Texas, $20,500
Adam Smith, D-Wash., $3,000

SENATE:
Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., $10,000
John Cornyn, R-Texas, $1,000 from Abramoff as part of a joint
fundraiser
Jon Corzine, D-N.J., $5,000
Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., $4,000
Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, $3,000
Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., $2,000
Trent Lott, R-Miss., $22,000
Patty Murray, D-Wash., $41,000
Harry Reid, D-Nev., $61,000
Ron Wyden, D-Ore., $1,000

Source: Associated Press

"The situation is that Tom's legal situation doesn't seem to be
reaching clarity," Kline told The Associated Press. "There are stories of more indictments or questions associated with Jack Abramoff. And I think that Tom DeLay is going to have to concentrate on that."