GOP Rep: "I've never taken a nickel from oil companies"

No doubt you know what's coming after that title. I've never heard of Virginia Congressman Tom Davis before, but when asked by a Fairfax paper about his ties to big oil that was his response. He also referred to the sponsors of an energy independence rally, MoveOn.org, as "discredited." And that was that, as far as the paper was concerned.

But an online check of Davis' donors revealed that he's actually received several million nickels from oil companies-- to the tune of more than $100,000. Including more than $12,000 in 2006.

But why do funny stories from politics these days always have to be tinged with reminders of the sorry state of political discourse and journalism?