Lobbyists ask candidates to give them a break

[babylonsister]

:cry::nopity:

Lobbyists ask candidates to give them a break
By Jim Snyder
Posted: 06/06/08 01:09 PM


For a group of people who apparently have so much influence in Washington, lobbyists seem to have a hard time keeping politicians from bashing them.

The American League of Lobbyists (ALL) made its second appeal this year to candidates to treat them with more respect.

“We feel there is growing frustration with this concept candidates keep pushing that all lobbyists are evil and somehow what we do is inappropriate,” said Brian Pallasch, the president of ALL.

Lobbyists like Pallasch are quick to point out that the right to petition the government, to lobby, is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.

But for all the disagreements between Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), they agree on at least one point: Lobbying needs to be curtailed and its influence diminished.

more...

http://thehill.com/business--lobby/lobbyists-ask-candidates-to-give-them-a-break-2008-06-06.html