New York Times: Obama Backers Tied to Lobbies Raise Millions

[Patricia M. McBride]

Lobbys and lobbyists are prominent in the Obama administration and have clout.  Another promise broken and certainly not changing the environment in Washington as promised heah?  A quote in the article says it all as lobbyists feel it an insult they might be limited "The administration, it said, appears to view lobbyists as predators and federal employees as “weak, unprincipled victims.”  After the recent GSA boon doggle, I would say the quote is about right as far as federal employees go.

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By ERIC LICHTBLAU

Published: October 27, 2011

 

WASHINGTON — Despite a pledge not to take money from lobbyists, President Obama has relied on prominent supporters who are active in the lobbying industry to raise millions of dollars for his re-election bid.

At least 15 of Mr. Obama’s “bundlers” — supporters who contribute their own money to his campaign and solicit it from others — are involved in lobbying for Washington consulting shops or private companies. They have raised more than $5 million so far for the campaign.

Because the bundlers are not registered as lobbyists with the Senate, the Obama campaign has managed to avoid running afoul of its self-imposed ban on taking money from lobbyists.

But registered or not, the bundlers are in many ways indistinguishable from people who fit the technical definition of a lobbyist. They glide easily through the corridors of power in Washington, with a number of them hosting Mr. Obama at fund-raisers while also visiting the White House on policy matters and official business.

Read more here:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/us/politics/obama-bundlers-have-t...