The Gist

Trent Lott Jumping Ship Too

The former majority leader and promoter of the antigay marriage amendment announced this morning that he will resign, adding to growing list of Republicans looking for the lifeboats. In Lott's case no reason was given but it's probably greed: Think Progress notes that he may be trying to get in under the deadline of a new law that would make senators wait two years before becoming Beltway lobbyists.

UPDATE: I know the rumor/blog posts about Trent Lott stepping down amidst some gay male hustler scandal seem enticing -- and I've been getting emails about them all day, and it's been mentioned in the comments -- but so far it looks like a lot of big imagination and wishful thinking. Like I said, Lott seems to be stepping down for the simple reason that he believes he should make a lot of money now. He spent all those years sucking up in the Congress and cutting deals for nefarious characters. And what does he have to show for it? Time to be cash in on K Street, is what he is saying to himself.