The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) launched a website today, WhiteHouseVIP.com, criticizing President Obama for allowing former aides to create Organizing for Action, a 501(c)(4) organization created out of Obama for America to help harness the President’s massive campaign email list to advance his policy agenda.

There are fair questions to be asked about OFA and the access big donors could get with the President, but their charges of hypocrisy fall flat because, the thing is, the NRSC—and the candidates it works to elect—probably have no actual problem with the lack of regulations that allow a President’s former aides to set up an organization like this.

Consider:

• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), up for re-election in 2014, is the primary opponent of campaign finance regulation on Capitol Hill, and has called efforts to increase disclosure to 501(c)(4) groups “dangerous” and “a political weapon.” In fact, he has spoken at fundraisers for Crossroads GPS, a 501(c)(4) group run by his former aide—the exact relationship the NRSC criticizes.
• Sen. Jerry Moran, the chair of the NRSC, joined with his colleagues in filibustering the DISCLOSE Act, legislation that would increase transparency in political spending.
• The 2012 Republican National Committee convention platform called for repealing what’s left of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law and opposed any restrictions on political spending. The RNC is part of a challenge, recently taken up by the Supreme Court, to throw out aggregate contribution limits.
• The new website asks, “Do you think President Obama and ‘OFA’ should be able to offer Presidential access to corporations and rich donors for $500,000 or more?” Here’s the bundler booklet for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, offering special campaign staff briefings and retreats for bundlers who brought in $250,000 or more.
• Last weekend, the NRSC hosted a winter retreat in Palm Beach, costing attendees $15,000 for the chance to schmooze with Senators and staffers about upcoming policy fights. As Politico reported today, more than a dozen Senators attended, with about 200 people in attendance (including lobbyists).

President Obama isn't--and shouldn't be--immune from criticism on money-in-politics but the NRSC and Republicans aren't either. Their concern trolling on OFA can’t be taken seriously until they provide a policy platform to address all of this acces-buying they seem to be so upset about.

Getting rid of limits and defeating transparency measures will make all politicians—from the President to state legislators—less accountable to everyday people and more beholden to wealthy special interests. We need politicians who won’t just talk a good game or try to score political points, but advance reforms to return to a government of, by, and for the people, not the campaign donors.

Give us a call, NRSC. We have some ideas.