Abramoff's story is as old as arrogance and power

The arrogance of power is a phrase popularized in the modern political era by former Sen. J. William Fulbright, who described it in his 1967 book of that name as "the tendency of great nations to equate power with virtue and major responsibilities with a universal mission." Fulbright, of course, was talking about U.S. foreign policy at the time as it related to our involvement in Vietnam.
Since then, arrogance of power has become a popular phrase, one that was ascribed to President Nixon (there was a biography that used the phrase in its title) and to President Clinton, who had an unfortunate tendency to use his power in the pursuit of personal gratification.
In 1994, architects of the Contract with America used the phrase to describe the behavior of Democrats who controlled Washington. It was part of a successful campaign that gave Republicans control of Congress.
How quickly the worm has turned. The stunning developments in Washington in recent days are clearly the result of Republicans behaving in ways that would indicate that they believed they were immune to the political law of nature -- that with power comes arrogance and with arrogance, eventually, comes the fall.
Guilty plea
Among the first to fall is Jack Abramoff, the premier Republican lobbyist in Washington until recently. He pleaded guilty to three felonies -- fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe U.S. Rep. Robert Ney, R-18th, Ohio. Ney was a member of the class of 1994, which came to power promising that a new day had dawned in Washington.
It turned out that what was new was an unparalleled level of arrogance by the party in power.
Abramoff became a lobbyist who dealt not in millions, but in tens of millions of dollars with his clients. In partnership with former aides to then-House GOP leader Tom DeLay, he flourished, thanks to DeLay's "K Street Project." Delay became a man so arrogant that he once tried to bully the manager of a restaurant that was located in a federally owned building by telling him that he could smoke there in violation of federal rules because "I am the federal government." Delay made it clear to corporations and trade associations that if they wanted their legislation passed they had to hire GOP lobbyists and donate to GOP campaigns. He told lobbyists that if they wanted any influence they must hire Republicans, not Democrats, who went through the revolving door between the Capitol and K Street.
Legislative arrogance
One of the most arrogant legislative acts of DeLay and crew was the holding up of a vote on the Medicare prescription drug bill, which was written in language that only the pharmaceutical industry could love, for more than three hours until the necessary votes could be strong-armed. Normally voting ends 15 minutes after the last vote is cast.
Washington, politicians -- including President Bush and GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert -- are now busy returning Abramoff's campaign contributions, or donating them to charity.
For those who took gifts, favors or money that can't be disguised as campaign contributions, it is probably too late. As part of his plea agreement, Abramoff must provide prosecutors with testimony. News reports say a half dozen House and Senate members, as well as congressional and executive branch staff members, have been implicated.
Some Democrats may be caught up in the net too, but it's clear that while greed may have been common to members of both parties, DeLay and other Republican leaders were the power brokers.
The Republican revolution launched just a little more than a decade ago by Newt Gingrich may prove most revolutionary in its ability to demonstrate that what goes around comes around.