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NEWS ABOUT: lobbyist

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Lobbying Firm to Banks: We'll Cripple Occupy

Former Jay Boehner employees drummed up $850K plan

(Newser) - So John Boehner's old employees are at least trying to profit from Occupy. Sam Geduldig and Jay Cranford, partners at a well-known Washington lobbying firm, are two authors of a proposed $850,000 scheme to drum up negative stories about Occupy Wall Street and any politicians who support it—... More »

Abramoff: Reforms Won't Stop 'Bribery' in Congress

Tells CBS he had once pull with 100 lawmakers

(Newser) - Lobbyists still “own” Congress, according to Jack Abramoff, dismissing the “faux reform efforts” passed in the wake of the scandal that landed him in prison . “The system hasn’t been cleaned up at all,” Washington’s most infamous ex-peddler of influence tells 60 Minutes in an... More »

Scott Walker Gives Donor's Kid an $81K Job

Brian Deschane gets job despite lack of college degree, experience

(Newser) - Don’t you hate those overpaid public employees? Why, just look at Brian Deschane. He’s racked up two drunk driving convictions, has little experience, and no college degree, yet Scott Walker’s administration is paying him $81,500 a year, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. How did he get the... More »

Obama Aides Take Lobbyist Meetings Across Street

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... More »

State Politics: Hotbed of Sleaze, Booze, Scandal

ABC investigation finds no shortage of sleaze at state level

(Newser) - You hear a lot more about the sleaze in Congress and governors' mansions than the sleaze at the state legislator level, but that's not because of a lack of low-down behavior, an ABC News investigation finds. Five grad students sent to cover a national convention of state legislators in Louisville,... More »

GOP's 'Pledge' Written by Former Oil, Pharma Lobbyist

Boehner aide lobbied for AIG, Exxon, Pfizer, Chamber of Commerce

(Newser) - The new “ Pledge to America ” the GOP intends to unveil today, as a kind of sequel to the "Contract with America" of old, was written by a guy who was, until a few months ago, a lobbyist for insurance giant AIG, along with big oil and pharma... More »

Abramoff Working at Pizzeria

Disgraced lobbyist helps with marketing from halfway house

(Newser) - It's a far cry from his old perk-filled life, but it sure beats prison: Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff is in a halfway house and helping a Baltimore pizzeria with marketing and strategy, reports the Baltimore Jewish Times . Abramoff served 43 months in prison for his shady lobbying practices in DC,... More »

Taxpayers Send $40K a Month to Ex-speaker, Now Lobbyist

Dennis Hastert gets paid by both sides

(Newser) - Taxpayers are doling out more than $40,000 a month to pay for Dennis Hastert’s office, staff, cell phone, SUV, and satellite TV subscriptions—even though the ex-speaker of the House now works as a lobbyist. It’s a troubling situation, ethics experts tell Politico , because though the law... More »

How Obama Screwed Up

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... More »

Soda Tax Threat a Boon for Food Lobbyists

Industry pours millions into fight against it

(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 »

Apple Quits US Chamber, Slams Climate Stance

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

(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 »

Health Bill Author Baucus Reaps $1.5M From Industry

Finance chairman raked in donations while crafting measure

(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 »

Calif. Pol Quits After Boast of Spanking Sex With Lobbyist

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

(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 »

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

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

(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 »

MSNBC Will ID Analyst as PR Exec

(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 »

Anti-Earmark Rep. Scores Earmark for Blimp Research

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

(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 »

Post Not the Only Paper Selling Access

(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 Economist—are... More »

Post Cancels Off-the-Record 'Salons'

'Overzealous marketing execs' pushed fliers, paper says

(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 »

Spacey to Play Jailed Lobbyist Abramoff

DC scammer looking forward to telling his side

(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 »

Harman: Release Wiretap Transcripts

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

(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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