Jim Hightower

"Knock it off," he barked to the rowdy and randy bunch of boys under his charge.

Unfortunately for John Boehner, he was not trying to straighten up the raucous behavior of some college boys acting out their "Animal House" fantasies. Instead, these were Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Boehner is their congressional leader. It seems the leader has been struggling for a year and a half now to get a group of frisky GOP solons to please stop getting drunk with pretty female lobbyists. Bad image, Boehner scolds. Especially in an election year.

One of the scoldees is Rep. Lee Terry of Omaha, Nebraska, a fellow who brags back home about his 100-percent pro-family voting record, as rated by the Christian Coalition. He recently had a cozy tête-à-tête with a comely lobbyist in the Capitol Hill Club. They did not appear to be discussing the nuances of banking reform. "Why did you get me so drunk?" Terry was overheard asking the giggling lady lobbyist.

The one who overheard this pro-family man's revealing bar talk was a New York Post reporter. Unlucky break. Asked later, in the light of day, about the escapade, Terry's spokeswoman said curtly, "The congressman has no idea what you are talking about."

Among the other flirtatious Republican rascals is Sam Graves of rural Missouri. He was photographed at a good-time DC bar with a striking blond lobbyist who works for banks, utilities, oil companies, and the like. Asked about the after-hours meet-up, Grave's office refused to comment.

How ironic that Boehner is now scolding others about the appearance of impropriety between lawmakers and lobbyists. He is notorious for being in bed with the special interests, openly and routinely offering to deliver legislative favors for Wall Street and corporate lobbyists in exchange for them giving campaign money for Republican Congressional candidates.