Never let it be said that lobbyists are too dumb to figure out a way around any rule we pass to keep them from paying off politicians:

WASHINGTON — On a mild evening last September, Citigroup lobbyists mingled with South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn at a rooftop reception — complete with miniature putting greens — as the company hosted a party to honor the third most powerful Democrat in the House and raise money for one of his favorite golf charities.

Health insurers and hospitals, meanwhile, are donating millions to help build an institute in Boston to celebrate the career of Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who is attempting to overhaul the nation's health care system.

Despite a ban on gifts to lawmakers and limits on campaign contributions, lobbyists and groups that employ them can spend unlimited money to honor members of Congress or donate to non-profits connected to them or their relatives. The public — until now — had little insight into the scope of this largely hidden world of special-interest influence.

Under ethics rules passed in 2007, lobbyists for the first time last year had to report any payment made for an event or to a group connected to a lawmaker and other top federal officials.

USA TODAY undertook the first comprehensive analysis of the lobbying reports and found 2,759 payments, totaling $35.8 million, were made in 2008. The money went to honor 534 current and former lawmakers, almost 250 other federal officials and more than 100 groups, many of which count lawmakers among their members.

The total cost is roughly equivalent to what the U.S. government spends to operate Yellowstone National Park each year.

Most of the money — about $28 million — went to non-profit groups, some with direct ties to members of Congress. In two cases, USA TODAY found, the donations to non-profits associated with a member of Congress came in response to a personal appeal for funds from the lawmaker.

"It's another example of the many pockets of a politician's coat," says Ellen Miller of the Sunlight Foundation, a watchdog group. The spending amounts to an "end-run" around campaign-finance laws "that are designed to limit the appearance of undue influence," she says.

The money came from companies, trade associations and labor groups that lobby Congress and the government on a range of issues, from seeking a share of last year's $700 billion financial bailout package to trying to shape the debate on climate change.

The donations cover various activities — from a golf tournament that raises money for a lawmaker's non-profit to gifts to the alma mater of a powerful House committee chairman.

"You can still have a gala or something or the other for a charity and earn some favor with members of Congress, which is what the gift ban was put in place to avoid," says Dan Danner, CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business and a veteran Washington lobbyist.

According to this article from the AP it seems the non-profit "charity," Army Emergency Relief has been stingy with money that is supposed to be used to help our men and women in uniform get through tough times. Not only are they unwilling to part with an acceptable percentage of their "charity" dollars during a time of unprecedented financial crisis, but they use mob-like tactics to intimidate soldiers struggling to repay the money and to solicit donations. Soldiers can be refused transfers and promotions if the "charity" money isn't repaid in a timely manner.

FORT BLISS, Texas – As soldiers stream home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the biggest charity inside the U.S. military has been stockpiling tens of millions of dollars meant to help put returning fighters back on their feet, an Associated Press investigation shows.

Between 2003 and 2007 — as many military families dealt with long war deployments and increased numbers of home foreclosures — Army Emergency Relief grew into a $345 million behemoth. During those years, the charity packed away $117 million into its own reserves while spending just $64 million on direct aid, according to an AP analysis of its tax records.

Superior officers come calling when AER loans aren't repaid on time. Soldiers can be fined or demoted for missing loan payments. They must clear their loans before transferring or leaving the service.

Despite strict rules against coercion, the Army uses pushy tactics to extract supposedly voluntary contributions, with superiors using language like: "How much can we count on from you?"

Compare the Navy and Air Force equivalent to the AER and the differences are astounding:

During that same five-year period, the smaller Navy and Air Force charities both put far more of their own resources into aid than reserves. The Air Force charity kept $24 million in reserves while dispensing $56 million in total aid, which includes grants, scholarships and loans not repaid. The Navy charity put $32 million into reserves and gave out $49 million in total aid.

The article goes on to say that the AER has helped a lot of people over the years and I won't question that, but the culture in the AER has become something barely resembling a charity, in my eyes. I imagine it comes as no surprise that this was allowed to happen during the Bush years.

One of the things that I always try to invest in my children during the conspicuous consumption capitalism that makes up an American Christmas season is that it's always better to give than receive. Trite, but true. I want them to always be grateful for just how lucky they are and aware of how so many in the world live an existence far more tenuous than we do.

Now, that's not to say it hasn't been a tough year economically in our house. There's been plenty of belt-tightening, and the Christmas tree will have fewer gifts under it this year. But at the same time, I want my kids to understand that even little gestures can make the difference in others' lives. We made our annual trip to the battered women's shelter to donate clothes and toys. Their school adopted a homeless family for whom we donated coats, blankets and food. And finally, we sat down with them to pick out how we will help through The Heifer Project.

If you're unfamiliar with The Heifer Project, donations go towards the purchase of livestock or resources to help a family create a cycle of food or industry that will sustain the family or village for an extended period of time. For example, the purchase of a sheep will provide wool for use or sale, hopefully can be bred for additional sheep, droppings collected and sold as manure, and finally, used or sold for meat at some point. This year, we opted to purchase honeybees, which can provide a livelihood for a family with the sale of beeswax and honey.

Certainly, The Heifer Project is not the only worthy charity out there. YouTube has a Project Awesome call to solicit endorsements of charities.

In the spirit of giving, I ask what charities C&Lers endorse. Leave your recommendations in the comments, and hopefully, we'll see a little spirit going their ways.