Lobbyists See Advisory Roles Clipped by New Obama Rule

Meeting raises questions about ties to big business

(NEWSER) - Aides to President Obama and Max Baucus met with a variety of lobbyists for corporate health care companies on April 15, to help form two industry coalitions and launch a multimillion-dollar ad campaign, Politico has learned. Though both sides insist no quid pro quo was laid out, some participants say they felt pressured to join the coalitions created at the meeting. “What were we supposed to say? No?” says one attendee. More»

Lack of bipartisanship undercuts campaign promises

(NEWSER) - It's polarized, lobbyist-laden business as usual in Washington, and President Obama is largely to blame despite his campaign pledges to change the way business is done in the capital, writes Fred Barnes. Obama mistook his personal election victory for a victory for liberalism and failed to try hard enough for bipartisan compromise when he had the chance, Barnes writes in the Wall Street Journal. More»

(NEWSER) - In his address to Congress, President Obama made it clear certain industries are in his crosshairs, from agribusiness to defense to health care. But those industries aren’t taking it lying down, the Wall Street Journal reports. They’re spending big on lobbyists, hoping to derail—or at least reshape—details of Obama’s budget. “It is in Congress where the rubber meets the road,” said a farming rep. More»

Study says almost 5,400 have jumped ship in past decade

(NEWSER) - There’s a veritable car pool lane connecting Capitol Hill to K Street, according to a new study, which found that almost 5,400 ex-congressional staffers and nearly 400 former lawmakers have taken jobs with lobbying firms over the past decade. The road goes in the opposite direction as well, with 605 ex-lobbyists taking gigs with lawmakers over that time. The tallies, which come from online disclosure site LegiStorm, are significantly higher than previous estimates, the Washington Post reports. More»

That way, they're not seen in visitor logs

(NEWSER) - Apparently Barack Obama’s opposition to lobbyist influence isn’t as strident as advertised. Obama’s aides still consult with lobbyists, Politico reports—they just do it across the street from the White House. These chats, held in meeting rooms just off the White House campus, aren’t recorded in the visitor logs that have, under Obama’s orders, become public knowledge. “They’re doing it on the side,” said one immigration reform lobbyist, adding, “It’s better than nothing.” More»