Monday, March 06, 2006

Brian Bilbray and the "L" Word

You can call Brian Bilbray lots of things, but there is one thing he just won't allow. The Republican candidate for Randy "Duke" Cunningham's seat in the CA-50 doesn't want anyone to associate him with the job he has been doing for the last six years. Bilbray has been a LOBBYIST.

Bilbray doesn't like being called a moderate, because he is fighting with Bill Morrow and Howard Kaloogian for the wingnut vote. He doesn't like being called a carpetbagger, despite the fact that his real residence in Virginia and he have never lived in the North County. He is using his mother's La Costa address as his current residence.

But, what Bilbray really won't allow is for anyone to suggest that the job he has held since he was run out of congress is as a registered lobbyist.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports on Bilbray's lobbying income (six figures annually), his clients and even allegations that he used his floor privileges as a former house member to lobby sitting members of congress. Yet, the most important point of the UT story is that Bilbray was able to convince the registrar of voters that he isn't a lobbyist, but is instead an "immigration reform advocate." It is a clever dodge, but it is no more honest than Jack Abramoff, who the article links to Bilbray, calling himself a "native American gaming consultant."

Rival Republican candidate Eric Roach is suing to have the April 11 special election ballot reflect Brian Bilbray's actual occupation.