It's refreshing to see, in the often sycophantic and unprincipled world of politics, people stand up for what they think is right, even when it's politically unpopular. Like Mark Feinroth, boldly battling a politician to defend lobbyist cash greasing the Maryland Democratic machine.

Feinroth is a lobbyist for the Maryland Association of Realtors -- you know, the guys who helped create the housing bubble. He's also a longtime Democratic operative, donor, and fundraiser. He wasn't about to be pushed around by any newbie politician like Sam Arora, running for state delegate in Montgomery Count. The Gazette reports:

On July 13, Arora sent a blast e-mail solicitation that included a YouTube video of a candidate forum in Leisure World earlier this month. In the video, Arora pledged not to take campaign contributions from any political action committee or lobbyist registered in Maryland. "That's too bad," Feinroth wrote in a response that detailed his "deep roots" in Democratic politics, including an unsuccessful run for District 19 delegate in 1994, work with John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, a staff position with former U.S. Rep. Michael D. Barnes and a stint as assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation under Gov. Parris N. Glendening. "But as strong as my credentials are, I guess you don't want my money," Feinroth wrote. "I will give it to a better qualified candidate who doesn't feel the need to pander. I wonder how many other lobbyists have received your email," he concluded.

Read the whole story, which has interesting details, especially this one:

He's no millionaire "hired gun" lobbyist, he said, and he thinks Arora's view of lobbyists has been colored by Capitol Hill, where Arora was an aide to then-Sen. Hillary R. Clinton.