Stop Stealth Lobbying: Close the 20 percent loophole and ensure that all who are paid to lobby...
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Stop Stealth Lobbying: Close the 20 percent loophole and ensure that all who are paid to lobby register and report as lobbyists Lisa Rosenberg
Transcript of Stop Stealth Lobbying: Close the 20 percent loophole and ensure that all who are paid to lobby...
Stop Stealth Lobbying:
Close the 20 percent loophole and ensure that all who are paid to lobby register and
report as lobbyists
Lisa Rosenberg
Influ
ence
Disclosure
Are you a lobbyist?
• Do you make more than $3,000 over three months from lobbying?
• Have you had more than 1 lobbying contact?• Have you spent more than 20% of your time
lobbying for a single client over three months?
Get rid of the 20% rule
20 % Rule
Tom Daschle
• DLA Piper, his employer since 2009, made almost $40 million lobbying between 2009 and 2012
“Right now, anyone who says they don’t clear the 20 percent threshold doesn’t have to register, a provision some insiders even call ‘the Daschle exemption.’” – Politico, 7/26/2010
George Allen• “George Allen Strategies is a recognized
leader in helping clients navigate the waters inside – and outside – the Beltway.” – www.georgeallenstrategies.com
• “There are plenty of people in the political-influence industry who do all they can to keep from having a big old scarlet letter L sewn into their suit…” – Dave Levinthal, Center for Responsive Politics.
David Obey
• Has worked at the Gephardt Group since 2011
• The Gephardt group made $9.3 million lobbying since 2011
“Former lawmakers who understand the appropriations process are highly valued, especially someone as wired and influential as Obey…other former appropriators have been in demand on K street recently.” – Politico, 6/3/2011
Newt Gingrich
“The technicalities are a bit arcane and muddied. Gingrich never officially registered himself as a lobbyist, but he did meet with elected officials to talk about legislation related to Freddie Mac.” – ABC News, 1/24/2012
• Worked as a “consultant” for Freddie Mac between 2001 and 2010
• Freddie Mac spent $100 million on lobbying between 1997 and 2012
Byron Dorgan
• Co-chair of law and lobbying firm Arent Fox’s Government Relations Practice
• Arent Fox has made $3.8 million lobbying since 2011.
Chris Dodd
• Current employer, the MPAA, spent $3.3 million lobbying in the past two years
• “Hollywood’s chief lobbyist” – The LA Times, 1/17/2012
“No Lobbying, no lobbying.” Chris Dodd, The Connecticut Mirror, 9/30/2010
“The purpose of our lobbying laws is to tell the public who is being paid how much to lobby
whom on what.”
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), 1992
For more information on closing the 20 percent loophole and other ways to reform our lobbying disclosure system visit www.sunlightfoundation.com/policy/lobbying.
Contact Lisa:[email protected]@sunlightonhill
