When in doubt, keep the cash

Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) was elected as the "mom in tennis shoes" - an outsider who would make a difference in DC. Well, she sure has become the insider now. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports:

OLYMPIA -- Sen. Patty Murray said Friday that returning contributions from Indian tribes represented by Jack Abramoff would "taint" the tribes.

The state's senior senator, a Seattle Democrat, said there was nothing wrong with accepting more than $40,000 in campaign donations from out-of-state tribes represented by the disgraced lobbyist.

Abramoff's excesses have been halted, and Congress is considering myriad ethics reforms, she said. The donations, from 1999 to 2005, placed Murray second among Senate Democrats.

So let's protect those tribes that sent casino-generated money. How? By keeping those "tainted" greenbacks for ourselves. How considerate of her.

Hat tip to Wizbang.