Top of the morning

North Carolina Congressmen Patrick McHenry and Heath Shuler have something in common, an interesting ally on Capitol Hill, a lobbyist with one of the more troubling client lists in town.

According to the Sunlight Foundation and Thatsmycongress.com, lobbyist Tim Rupli, an ex-aide to Tom Delay, held two fundraisers for McHenry at his Capitol Hill townhouse his summer and one for Shuler just before Thanksgiving.

Rupli made $1.69 million last year lobbying for clients like payday lenders, an anti-immigration group, a weapons-training corporation, and the obligatory pharmaceutical company.

Such lovely company McHenry and Shuler are keeping.