Reply #7: BEYOND DELAY: LEWIS Relationship with Bill Lowery and Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White

[L. Coyote]

Relationship with Bill Lowery and Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White
http://www.beyonddelay.org/summaries/lewis.php

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

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Rep. Lewis has a close relationship with lobbyist and former Congressman Bill Lowery, and his lobbying firm, Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White (“Copeland Lowery”). As chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Lewis has approved hundreds of millions of dollars in federal projects for Mr. Lowery’s clients. In exchange, Mr. Lowery, his partners and their spouses contributed $480,000 to Rep. Lewis’ campaign committee and Future Leaders PAC between 2000 and 2005, often giving the maximum contribution allowed under law.

Copeland Lowery’s staff includes Letitia White, who joined the firm in 2003 after working in Rep. Lewis’ office for 22 years, most recently as a staffer to the Appropriations Committee.

At Copeland Lowery Ms. White, who became known as “K Street’s Queen of Earmarks,” quickly built a client list of two dozen defense firms that were seeking earmarks.

Jeffrey Shockey, another staffer for Rep. Lewis until 1999, also left to join Copeland Lowery. Mr. Shockey stayed with the firm for six years before returning to Capitol Hill in January 2005, for a second stint with Rep. Lewis as deputy staff director of the Appropriations Committee. To compensate for Mr. Shockey’s drop in income, Copeland Lowery paid him nearly $2 million in departure payments and hired his wife, Alexandra Shockey, as a subcontractor.

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