Is Jack Abramoff going to get sprung from the pokey a little earlier than anticipated? Apparently folks at the Justice Department are seeking to have his sentence reduced in return for Abramoff's cooperation in their ongoing public corruption inquiry which has already ended the political careers of a handful of legislators.  He's currently serving a sentence in connection with another fraud charge, he's yet to be sentenced on the congressional stuff.

Who knows, maybe the curbs on ostentatious currying of favor with lawmakers inside the Beltway (no golf games funded by Exxon! No sandwiches!) have sent corporations and their lobbyists into overdrive because they're packing in enough partying (read: writing checks to candidates) during the conventions in Denver and the Twin Cities to stay hungover well into October.

I'm sorry to report that Alaska's Clean Elections ballot initiative did not pass yesterday -- in fact, on the primary ballot where both Sen. Ted Stevens (R) and Rep. Don Young (R) faced primary challenges none of the ballot initiatives got much love. But as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. This is only the beginning of Alaska's fight for Clean Elections.