When Nancy Pelosi declared the 110th Congress would be the most ethical Congress “ever”, most people were understandably, shall we say, skeptical. As we’ve learned since last January, the mass skepticism was very warranted. From corruption to countless earmarks, Congress under Pelosi’s leadership has been anything but ethical.

Now we’re learning confirming that the Democratic majority hasn’t exactly hurt K Street’s bottom line. As a matter of fact, it’s helped.

Patton Boggs continued to set the pace in terms of money generated by lobbying. The law firm earned $42.7 million in 2007, making it the first firm to earn more than $40 million in one year from advocacy. In 2006, Patton Boggs generated $35.1 million in revenue, which was also good enough to put it on top of The Hill’s annual survey of lobbying revenue.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld also enjoyed strong growth. Its revenues grew 24 percent on earnings of $32 million in 2007, compared to $25.9 million in 2006.

Other firms in the top 10 reported more modest increase in business. Van Scoyoc Associates made $28.8 million in 2007 compared to $28.6 million in 2006. Cassidy & Associates reported its lobbying group brought in $24.7 million, up slightly from 2006 when it reported $24.6 million (this figure does not include $4.3 million earned by The Rhoads Group, a subsidiary of Cassidy).

I’m not going to claim the hands of Congressional Republicans are clean; They’re not. However, here’s what was promised to the American people in 2006, when Democrats were preparing for their takeover:

“This leadership team will create the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.”

-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, November 2006 

The only thing this Congress has been “open” to is lobbyists, special interests, and surrender. Honest? Ethical? You be the judge.