Dem Lobbyists Step Up, Prepare to Cash In

High premium on connection to the party in power
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 14, 2008 1:15 PM CST
Dem Lobbyists Step Up, Prepare to Cash In
Jack Quinn, a founder and co-chairman of Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC, one of Washington's most influential lobbying outfits, is seen at the firm's offices in Washington, Sept. 18, 2007.    (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)

As Democrats adjust to controlling all three branches of government, Democratic lobbyists are flying high, reports the Washington Post. Barack Obama's stated resistance to influence-peddling notwithstanding, the trend that took off after control of Congress flipped 2 years ago is gaining speed. “In this climate, Democratic backgrounds are attractive to people,” says an energy-industry lobbyist. “This town, that's what it runs on.”

The presidential transition team announced “the strictest and most far-reaching ethics rules of any transition in history” this week, but that isn't dampening enthusiasm, even with tighter rules and fiercer competition. “You're advising people on how to structure their business—that doesn't require a partisan contact," says one veteran Democratic lobbyist. "It requires knowing what's going on." (More lobbyists stories.)

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