Democrats called Bush shameful for having lobbyist help write environmental legislation. Now, they are having lobbyist help draft theirs.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. During the Bush administration, Democrats said it was shameful that business lobbyists helped write environmental legislation. Now, they are having lobbyist help draft their own sweeping climate bill. The Washington Times reported:

Democratic lawmakers who spent much of the Bush administration blasting officials for letting energy lobbyists write national policy have turned to a coalition of business and environmental groups to help draft their own sweeping climate bill.

And one little-noticed provision of the draft bill would give one of the coalition's co-founders a lucrative exemption on a coal-fired project it is building.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman, both of California, were among the Democrats -- then in the minority -- who slammed Vice President Dick Cheney for holding closed-door meetings to draft energy policy early in the Bush administration.