As If The Midterm Defeat Weren't Enough...

The string of scandals that haunted Republicans in last year’s midterm defeat continues to plague some current and former House members, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings.

Former Rep. Mark Foley of Florida, whose abrupt resignation from the House late last year sparked a major scandal stemming from his inappropriate contact with male pages, paid Zuckerman Spaeder LLP $205,727 out of his old campaign account during the first three months of this year.

Former Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania, who lost his seat amidst reports that he had steered defense contracts to companies that had hired his daughter, paid a total of $132,025 to five separate law firms.

Former Rep. Jim Kolbe of Arizona, who was forced to testify before the House ethics committee for his role in the Foley scandal, paid $120,000 in legal fees to WilmerHale.

And former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), whose own job came under attack last fall when he and others admitted knowing about some of Foley's improper contact with pages, reported paying $69,857 to McKenna Long & Aldridge during the first quarter of 2007.

California Reps. John Doolittle and Jerry Lewis, meanwhile, reported paying $13,516 and $11,806, respectively, in legal fees. Lewis also paid an enormous $136,807, according to politicalmoneyline.com.

Republicans, of course, aren’t alone.

Democratic candidate Christine Jennings of Florida, who challenged the results of her narrow loss last year to freshman Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, paid $118,675 to three separate firms during the first quarter of this year.

Buchanan, meanwhile, reported paying Greenberg Traurig $18,000 so far this year for their assistance during the recount in this race. He also owes the firm an additional $466,623 and another $36,557 to SysTest Labs, according to filing data.

And House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) paid two law firms a combined $11,705 during the first three months of this year, according to politicalmoneyline.com.

And lest we forget, incarcerated former Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio paid his wife, Elizabeth, $854 in January from his campaign account, which reported $33,071 in cash-on-hand.

Looking back, it was quite a year for the GOP.