Ricky's Traditional Values

The Washington Post has a fascinating piece on Rick Santorum in today's edition.

After saying in January that he would end his regular meetings with lobbyists, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), the third-ranking GOP leader in the Senate, has continued to meet with many of the same lobbyists at the same time and on the same day of the week.

Pennsylvanians already have their hackles up over self-serving politicians - the State Representatives voted themselves a fat pay raise and it didn't sit well - so Bob Casey Jr. should be able to make some pretty good political hay out of this.

But in the month since his announcement, Santorum has held two meetings attended by the same core group of lobbyists, and has used the sessions to appeal for campaign aid, according to participants. Both of those meetings were convened at the same time as the previous meetings -- 8:30 a.m. -- on the same day of the week -- Tuesday -- and they lasted for about as long as the earlier meetings -- one hour.

Instead of being held in the Capitol, however, the recent meetings were conducted nearby...

For as much as I really don't like Bob Casey, it's better to have him in the Senate than Santorum. The fact that Santorum's campaign has received "more money from lobbyists than any other congressional candidacy thus far in the 2006 election cycle" should be enough to push Pennsylvania's junior Senator out. His politics never really reflected Pennsylvania anyway.

Rick Santorum Lobbying 2006 Elections