Regulatory lapdogs

Regulatory lapdogs are supposed to be "watchdogs" but have fallen over to becoming tools of the industries which they are supposed to oversee. Cases can probably be well made from the Bush regime of

• FDA
• FCC [1]
• House Ethics Committee [2]
  • allegations of threats & bribery on the House floor during the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill Vote Scandal, 2003
  • Westar Energy Bribery Scandal
  • did U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), who had a key role in writing the Medicare prescription drug law, break House ethics rules when negotiating a lucrative job with the drug industry's top lobbying group.? [3]
  • Texans for a Republican Majority [4]
  • 17 March UPI [5] notes:
    • illegal use of campaign funds,
    • misuse of a federal agency for political purposes,
    • conflicts of interest,
    • and strong-arm tactics against lobbyists and campaign contributors.