Lobbyists Reward DeLay by Raising Money After Legislative Wins

[Judi Lynn]

Lobbyists Reward DeLay by Raising Money After Legislative Wins
Nov. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Representative Tom DeLay has worked hard throughout his tenure to champion legislation favored by business lobbyists. Last night, those lobbyists were working hard for him, hosting a $200,000 fund-raiser for the beleaguered former House majority leader.

Among the 67 lobbyists hosting the event in Washington were the heads of the trade groups for the oil and electric-utility industries. Before DeLay's indictment in a fund-raising case forced him to give up his leadership post, he helped push through an energy bill that included $14.6 billion in industry subsidies.

DeLay, a Texas Republican, also spearheaded legislation limiting lawsuits and cutting taxes, both priorities for lobbyists. And he pushed lobbying firms to hire Republicans -- including former aides Drew Maloney and Susan Hirschmann, among the hosts of last night's event.

``DeLay has been the best thing for the lobbying industry in Washington in recent history,'' said Frank Clemente, director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch, a Washington-based advocacy group that has called for a special counsel to investigate the lawmaker. ``They work hand in glove with him to get his legislative agenda passed, and pay him and the Republican Party back with huge campaign contributions. At all costs, they want to get this guy back in power and re-elected.''
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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?

[Gman]

1. Best thing for the lobbying industry?

I'll bet he has.

[leftstreet]

2. Lobbying should NOT be an industry!

Just sayin.

[Daphne08]

3. No, it shouldn't! Our Representatives and Senators should

do what's best for us, the American people. We're the ones who are paying their salaries, for Cripes sake!

Corporate Lobbying should be outlawed!

[salin]

4. Ban lobbyists - let industrialists live within the same

donation limits and access to newspapers/radios as the rest of us - write letters to the editor - just because you can pool together much larger sums of money - behind "lobbyists" - should not make yours the voice of the US congress.

Ugh.

[Just Me]

5. Additional proof that this nation is being controlled by corporations,...

,...not "the people". We've become so dysfunctional I sometimes wonder if we'll ever rehabilitate the trend toward corporate fascism. I am sincerely concerned about our dear U.S.A.

[dubyaD40web]

6. Here's a working link:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=awReEXVLeaGo&refer=us