You can pretty much read the list of new GOP committee chairs as an invitation for powerful interests to buy off Congress:
While many of the House chairmanships for the 112th Congress were foregone conclusions, the choice of Representative Fred Upton of Michigan to lead the Energy and Commerce Committee over Representative Joe L. Barton of Texas was a bit of a nail-biter. Representative Harold Rogers of Kentucky won the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee over the current ranking member, Representative Jerry Lewis of California, and Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia.
For example, Harold Rogers was listed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington as one of the most corrupt members of the 111th Congress. Over the course of his 29-year career, he has steered millions of dollars to campaign contributors, including a company that employs his son. Spencer Bachus, incoming chair of the Financial Services Committee, wants to shovel favors at Wall Street by removing key provisions of Dodd-Frank and defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Dave Camp has received a torrent of cash from lobbyists eager to support the soon-to-be chair of Ways and Means, and John Kline -- next year's chair of Education and Labor -- opposes any effort to tie federal loans to student default-rates or debt-loads, a friendly giveaway to for-profit schools.
Powerful interests had their representation under Democratic leadership, but I'm sure they are salivating at the prospect of a House led by men who believe in the absolute right of corporations to defraud the public.
-- Jamelle Bouie
