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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: lobbyist

lobbyist stories: 39 news summaries

1 - 20 of 39 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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Soda Tax
Threat a Boon for Food Lobbyists

Industry pours millions into fight against it

Nov 5, 09 12:25 PM CST
(Newser) - Capitol Hill’s flirtation with a national excise tax on sugary drinks has been good for someone: food lobbyists. Soda makers, supermarkets, and fast-food restaurants have spent more than $24 million fighting the tax, the Huffington Post reports. “We are reacting to the situation we find ourselves in,"... More »

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Pepsi • lobbyist • fast food industry • lobbyists • advertising campaign • Coca-Cola Co • soda tax • Americans Against Food Taxes

 Apple Quits 
 US Chamber, 
 Slams Climate Stance 

Computer giant goes with outward flow over lobbyist's climate position

Oct 6, 09 11:31 AM CDT
(Newser) - Apple has joined a growing list of companies to ditch the US Chamber of Commerce over its skeptical view of climate change. “We strongly object to the Chamber’s recent comments” calling for a “Scopes Monkey Trial for the 21st century” to expose climate change fallacies, says a... More »

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climate change • greenhouse gases • global warming • Apple • lobbyist • lobbying • carbon emissions • Scopes monkey trial • US Chamber of Commerce

Health Bill Author Baucus Reaps $1.5M From Industry

Finance chairman raked in donations while crafting measure

Oct 2, 09 3:21 AM CDT
(Newser) - It's no secret that Capitol Hill is awash in money from the health-care industry but the amounts involved are far larger than many realize, according to a new report from a watchdog group. The Sunlight Foundation found that many senators—especially Montana Democrat Max Baucus, chair of the Senate Finance... More »

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health care industry • lobbyist • Senate Finance Committee • health care reform • Max Baucus • political donations

 Calif. Pol Quits 
 After Boast of 
 Spanking Sex 
 With Lobbyist 

One utility company lobbyist was a 'bad girl,' assemblyman leered over hot mike

Sep 10, 09 2:10 AM CDT
(Newser) - Some lobbyists will apparently do anything for work. A California assemblyman and family-values crusader has quit after boasting about spanking sex with a utility company lobbyist and "hot" sex with another. He went into graphic detail over a broadcast mike he didn't realize was live, reports the Los Angeles ... More »

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California • Sacramento • sex • lobbyist • family values • lobbyists • politician • Yorba Linda • assemblyman • marital infidelity

Under Obama, It's the 'Summer of the Lobbyist' 

'It Girl' emerges as health, climate, economy converge

Aug 24, 09 12:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama the candidate railed against lobbyists' influence—but under his administration, the Washington movers and shakers are flourishing. With health care reform, the environment, and the economy in focus all at once, it’s the “Summer of the Lobbyist,” writes Manuel Roig-Franzia in the Washington Post. At... More »

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lobbyist • lobbying • Washington, DC • Tony Podesta • Obama administration • John Podesta • President Obama • Heather Podesta

(Newser) - From now on MSNBC will alert viewers that commentator Richard Wolffe also serves another boss—a high-powered Washington public relations and lobbying firm, where he works as a strategist. Executives made the decision following complaints that Wolffe may have pushed agendas for his clients under the guise of being an... More »

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NBC • MSNBC • lobbyist • public relations • health care reform • Washington lobbyists • Richard Wolffe • Public Strategies

Anti-Earmark Rep. Scores Earmark for Blimp Research

Sessions' $1.6M went to firm not in his district

Jul 30, 09 12:21 PM CDT
(Newser) - Rep. Pete Sessions is a vocal opponent of earmarks, but last year he scored one for a company that's not even in his district. Thanks to Sessions, $1.6 million for airship research went to a firm with no experience in either government contracting or blimp-making, Politico reports. Seems that... More »

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Congress • earmarks • aide • lobbyist • blimp • House Republicans • Pete Sessions

(Newser) - As they wipe the egg off their face, Washington Post executives are probably wondering why they got slammed so badly for selling access to Washington bigwigs and Post reporters at "salons" at the publisher's home. At least two other news organizations—the Wall Street Journal and the... More »

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media • newspaper • Washington Post • Wall Street Journal • lobbyist • access • The Economist • Katharine Weymouth

 Post Cancels 
 Off-the-Record 
 'Salons' 

'Overzealous marketing execs' pushed fliers, paper says

Jul 2, 09 12:34 PM CDT
(Newser) - Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth today nixed the “salons” aimed to sell lobbyists access to off-the-record gatherings of administration officials, members of Congress, and Post journalists, the paper reports. “This should never have happened," said Weymouth. Fliers advertising the meetings "got out and weren't vetted. They... More »

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media • newspaper • Washington Post • marketing • lobbyist • newsrooms • Marcus Brauchli • access • Katharine Weymouth

 Spacey to Play 
 Jailed Lobbyist 
 Abramoff 

DC scammer looking forward to telling his side

Apr 25, 09 11:52 AM CDT
(Newser) - Kevin Spacey met with lobbyist-extraordinaire-turned-convict Jack Abramoff yesterday to discuss the actor’s portrayal of him in the upcoming Casino Jack, Deadline Hollywood Daily reports. The jailed Abramoff, convicted of scamming American Indians out of millions in casino money, is reportedly a huge Spacey fan. “For two guys who... More »

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film • Jack Abramoff • celebrity • casino • lobbyist • Kevin Spacey

 Harman: 
 Release 
 Wiretap 
 Transcripts 



Calif. rep decries 'outrageous' 'abuse of power'

Apr 21, 09 1:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - California Rep. Jane Harman demanded today that Justice Department release “unredacted” transcripts of telephone conversations recorded without her knowledge, Politico reports. Harman demanded the wiretapped conversations be released in response to media reports that she was recorded agreeing to try to help two pro-Israel lobbyists accused of spying in... More »

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Israel • FBI • NSA • domestic surveillance • lobbyist • Jane Harman • domestic wiretapping • Eric Holder

Nonprofit Lobbyists Want Obama to Let Them In

White House ban bars experts, policy suffers

Apr 21, 09 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Nonprofit groups have launched a new campaign on behalf of their own lobbyists, the New York Times reports. Barack Obama’s current anti-lobbying rules don’t make any distinction between corporate influence peddlers and public interest advocates; all are barred from administration jobs. Case in point: Tom Malinowski, the... More »

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Barack Obama • lobbyist • nonprofit • lobbying • lobbyists • Obama administration

(Newser) - The ACLU and other watchdog groups on both the left and right think President Obama is carrying his crusade against lobbyists too far, Politico reports. Obama's recent directive forbidding government officials from discussing how to spend the stimulus with lobbyists infringes on free speech, they say. The groups plan to... More »

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free speech • Washington DC • ACLU • First Amendment • lobbyist • economic stimulus package • Obama administration • President Obama

analysis

Obama's Lobbyist Ban Haunting Him

He's losing good people for hard-to-fill administration spots

Mar 13, 09 8:15 AM CDT
(Newser) - President Obama’s campaign pledge to run a lobbyist-free White House is coming back to haunt him, writes Jonathan Martin in Politico. The problem is that there’s an army of Democratic specialists in hard-to-master policy areas who worked as lobbyists during the Bush administration—and they're all off-limits. “... More »

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Barack Obama • lobbyist • Obama 2008 • Election 2008 • Washington lobbyists • Obama administration

GOP Launches
Offensive on
Pro-Union Bill

Big business is paying big bucks to lobby against 'card check' bill

Mar 9, 09 2:28 PM CDT
(Newser) - Republican lobbyists are swarming Capitol Hill this week, launching the battle over the pro-union Employee Free Choice Act—a fight one Chamber of Commerce exec describes as "Armageddon." Legions of GOP operatives are being enlisted to spend tens of millions of dollars offered by large corporations like Wal-Mart,... More »

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GOP • lobbyist • labor unions • big business • Washington lobbyists • Employee Free Choice Act • Bill Maher Grid

Daschle Waited to Tell Obama About Tax Glitch

HHS nominee knew his taxes needed fixing; didn't know how much

Feb 1, 09 11:04 AM CST
(Newser) - Health secretary-designate Tom Daschle didn’t tell the Obama administration that he owed years of back taxes until a month after he’d been nominated, the Washington Post reports. He paid $140,000 in taxes January 2 and told government leaders about it two days later. He had known his... More »

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Health and Human Services • taxes • lobbyist • Tom Daschle • tax returns • Obama administration • President Obama

ANALYSIS

Dem Lobbyists Leave K Street For Capitol

Obama's new rules have some seeking 'cleanse' on Hill first

Jan 26, 09 2:37 PM CST
(Newser) - President Obama’s tough anti-lobbying policies have Democrats headed for Capitol Hill, Politico reports. “Any Democrat worth their salt in this town wants to go work for the administration,” one lobbyist says. “But they’re just not talking to us.” Because Obama has strict policies against... More »

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Barack Obama • Democrat • lobbyist • lobbyists • Obama administration

His Fundraising Machine Turns to Transition, Inaugural

But watchers holding Obama to transparency

Nov 19, 08 1:26 PM CST
(Newser) - Barack Obama is in fundraising mode again, this time for his transition and inauguration, CNN reports; many hope he will honor his promise to steer clear of special interests and big corporate donors. Though there is almost $10 million in public funds available for transition spending, experts say that’s... More »

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Barack Obama • corporate • lobbyist • campaign fundraising • transition • inauguration • President Obama

Obama Team Lays Out
'Strictest' Ethics Rules

Lobbyists, corporations banned from contributing to transition

Nov 12, 08 2:13 AM CST
(Newser) - Barack Obama's transition team has set out what one official called "the strictest, most far-reaching ethics rules of any transition in history,” the Hill reports. Lobbyists, corporations and PACs will be barred from donating funds to the transition operation, and lobbyists on the team won’t be allowed... More »

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ethics • Barack Obama • lobbyist • lobbyists • conflicts of interest • transition • Obama administration • transition team • John Podesta • President Obama

Obama Team Has Wiggle Room for Hiring Lobbyists

Candidate has pledged that lobbyists won't run show

Nov 1, 08 12:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama has said lobbyists “won’t run my White House,” but the realities of Washington dictate that some will play important roles in his or any administration. In fact, the Obama camp is working out hiring rules that would prohibit registered lobbyists from holding high-ranking White House... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • White House • lobbyist • Obama administration

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