Rep. Weiner Wigs Out on Republicans

Just 10% approve of work on Hill, according to latest Gallup poll

(NEWSER) - A Gallup poll released Wednesday finds that Americans' approval of Congress has hit yet another record low: 10%. There aren't many institutions Americans have liked less over the last 50-or-so years, according to Gallup: Only Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, and OJ Simpson detective Mark Fuhrman have ever scored lower. ABC News takes a look at some very unpopular things that still manage to rank above Congress:

• According to an August poll, Paris Hilton is America's least-favorite celeb. But her 60% disapproval rating is still better than Congress's 86% disapproval rating.

Rep. Spencer Bachus faces first-of-its-kind ethics investigation

(NEWSER) - Foxes have been found guarding hen houses on Capitol Hill in the past, but ethics investigators now believe they have identified a particularly greedy one. Rep. Spencer Bachus, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, is being probed for possible violations of insider-trading laws, reports the Washington Post . The investigation of the Alabama Republican is the first of its kind involving a member of Congress, and comes as lawmakers are taking steps to stamp out insider trading by legislators and executive branch officials . More»

Eric Cantor takes out provisions that Senate passed unanimously

(NEWSER) - House legislators are almost sure to pass a bill officially banning them from insider trading today, but it will be missing a few teeth compared to its Senate counterpart. Eric Cantor has pulled out a provision that would have required K Street consultants who sell Congress' inside tips to Wall Street to disclose their activities like lobbyists do, the Washington Post reports. He also pulled out an amendment restoring parts of an anti-corruption law that the Supreme Court voided last year—even though it passed the Senate unanimously. More»

Texas' Louie Gohmert says Alaskan pipeline is hot date meet-up

(NEWSER) - A Texas Republican congressman is adamant in his backing of the trans-Alaska pipeline, but not because of silly energy independence. No, we must keep the oil flowing for the sake of ... caribou romance. So argued Rep. Louie Gohmert, tongue perhaps in cheek, during a meeting of the House Natural Resources committee last week, reports the Washington Post . Gohmert made the case that the warmth of the oil making its way through the pipeline encourages the randy behavior (and population boom) of the region's caribou. More»

'Washington Post' finds 16 members of Congress engaging in practice

(NEWSER) - A Washington Post investigation finds that 16 members of Congress have sent tax dollars, sometimes in the millions, to companies or other organizations with links to their family trees. Through direct funding or earmarking, these lawmakers have boosted the budgets of Pentagon programs, environmental groups, schools, and other places where their spouses, children, or parents have been employed, sat on the board, or worked as lobbyists. In interviews, the lawmakers insist the actions were meant to assist organizations that, in turn, help residents of their districts. Indeed, congressional committees have found that such practices are fine as long as the money doesn't directly or solely benefit the lawmakers' relatives. More»