Sen Jim DeMint (R-SC) is in trouble with the FEC for failing to disclose about $175,00 in campaign contributions made in 2004 at the tail end of the campaign (full story at BNA, sub. req.). Ironic, really, given DeMint's recent tactics to delay a House and Senate conference committee on the lobbying and ethics overhaul package with his demands for the inclusion of a disclosure provision for earmarks.

DeMint wants his demands for earmark disclosure met before he'll allow the bill to go to conference committee. Unfortunately with this tactic he's also opening the door for other Senators to delay the bill with their own demands, and because earmark disclosure is likely to be included in the final version of the bill anyway, DeMint's hard line stance is being interpreted as a stonewalling tactic to beat back the broader bill.

Eh, maybe the FEC situation is just making DeMint overcompensate in the disclosure area...a "transparent-er than thou" kind of thing. You know how it is.