Yesterday, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Tony Snow about President Bush’s amendments to the regulatory process. In his response, Snow reached new heights of evasiveness. Instead of just admitting the White House dislikes regulations because they are perceived to be a burden to industry, Snow talked about how much they love the environment. Speaking of climate change: But no administration in American history, and none on the face of the Earth, has been more aggressive in trying to do sound science on this than this administration. Considering the administration was recently found to be manipulating climate science, it is hard to believe Snow said this with a straight face. Is it too late to nominate Tony Snow for an Oscar?

Roll Call ($$) is reporting on some of the troubles the House is having in crafting a lobbying reform bill. There is some question on whether or not the legislation should include a requirement that lobbyists disclose the amount of donations that they "bundle" together and then give to candidates. A staffer was quoted in the article that they are hoping to have a draft within the next two weeks. Representatives Van Hollen and Meehan introduced this bundling proposal as a separate bill, H.R.633.

An article in the National Journal ($$), "A Two-Front War Over Lobbying", makes the very interesting point that lobbyists are pleased in light of grassroots lobbying disclosure falling from the Senate ethics and lobbying reform bill. The article pairs the loss of grassroots lobbying disclosure and the Supreme Court's decision to take up the Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL) case as both key victories for lobbyists. Thematically the two issues concentrate on the regulation of political speech and advocacy.

A Jan. 12, 2007 report from the Congressional Research Service (crs) says courts have upheld the constitutionality of disclosure requirements aimed at "preventing corruption and limiting the undue influence of monied and powerful interests..." The report, Grassroots Lobbying: Constitutionality of Disclosure Requirements by CRS legislative attorney Jack Maskell, provides a detailed history of legal protections for grassroots advocacy and the government's interest in disclosure. The summary says: