There’s been a large number of breathless reports and commentaries in recent days about the story of a Kansas congressman who apparently got a little carried away during a recent congressional junket to Israel and decided to dive into the Sea of Galilee au naturel. Raleigh’s News & Observer even saw fit to run this rather absurd headline: “Ellmers went to Israel, did not skinny-dip.”

But, of course, as is so often the case with mainstream political reporting these days, the reports and commentaries are missing the forest for the trees.

The real scandal in this matter is not that, for the umpteenth time, a knucklehead right-wing congressman went all “Hangover” on us when he got away from the hometown, the scandal is that Read More…

Lost thus far this morning in all the kind tweets and other complimentary statements about former North Carolina House Speaker Harold Brubaker in response to his announcement that he is resigning from the General Assembly after 35 years in Raleigh, is this very depressing and yet predictable part of the story. It’s the last paragraph in AP reporter Gary Robertson’s story:

“Brubaker said in a statement he would expand his business to include consulting and lobbying work, with help from his son. State law would permit Brubaker to register as a lobbyist early next year as the next two-year General Assembly session begins in January.”

In other words, at a time in which Republican lobbyists have never been more influential in Raleigh, Brubaker is cashing in while the cash is good. It won’t be long until the state’s largest corporations are beating a path to his door.

The bottom line: Brubaker may be a pleasant-enough guy, but the next time some conservative friend rails to you about career politicians and good ol’ boys, you might want to remind them of how one of the state’s longest-serving and most prominent conservative elected officials has become the latest poster child for the system they decry.