Obama takes funds from lobbyist partners despite campaign rhetoric

[jackson_dem]

This is from the Moonie Times but, I was watching C-Span and it was shown on there so it is getting some play and it is factual. We need to know the real Barack before we seal the deal and we have only 2 weeks to do it.

-snip-

Sen. Barack Obama, who has refused donations from federal lobbyists and paints his Democratic presidential rival as a Washington insider for accepting their contributions, took hundreds of thousands of dollars from partners at dozens of firms that lobbied Congress in 2007.

The partners — who often share in a law firm's overall profits — gave at least $214,000 to the Obama campaign from October through December, according to a review of Federal Election Commission records and lobbying-disclosure reports with the Senate

-snip-

"When Senator Obama is out on the stump, he works hard to give the impression that he has no relationship with K Street or the special interests," Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said yesterday. "A little research into his record, however, makes it quite clear that his claims are really just words."

-snip-

Despite the frequent talk of lobbying on the campaign trail, contributions from lobbyists are a small fraction of what employees in the banking and legal sectors donate.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/NATION/853452725/1002

More on Obama and lobbyists: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obamas-k-street-project-2007-03-28.html

-snip-

Mike Williams, the director of government relations at Credit Suisse Securities, said of the network of lobbyists supporting Obama: “I would imagine that it’s as large as the Clinton list,” in reference to rival presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who is an entrenched favorite of the Washington Democratic establishment.


Williams is actively building support for Obama among lobbyists and the corporate clients they represent. While other Obama supporters have described him as a leading activist, Williams demurs: “I wouldn’t want to put my position as a spearhead.” He acknowledges that the gains Obama is making among Washington’s Democratic establishment are hard to see because Obama’s K Street supporters have kept a low profile. As a result, Obama’s K Street network is a stealthy operation.

-snip-


Some of Obama’s K Street boosters keep their support a secret to uphold Obama’s image as a Washington outsider untainted by D.C.’s influence business.

[rodeodance]

1. yes, there have been posts like this here--but they get shouted down quick.

[rodeodance]

2. 5th REc

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Yeah, Washington Times!

:party:

[rodeodance]

10. they are just catching up to otheres---google is your friend.

[jillan]

4. k/r

[Thrill]

5. Keep on trying

[ProSense]

6. Still posting this distortion, but the facts are clear:

Fact Check On Public Citizen's Claim That Obama Has Bundler Lobbyists

February 08, 2008

Public Citizen recently claimed that Barack Obama has 10 bundlers who are federal lobbyists. But none of the individuals they cite are currently registered to lobby. As an Obama spokesperson has said, the ban on accepting money from federal lobbyists is not "a perfect solution to the problem , and it isn't even a perfect symbol, but it does reflect that Obama shares the urgent desire of the American people to change the way Washington operates."

Read Public Citizen's List Here

Check Lobbyist Registrations Here

Frank Clark, NOT REGISTERED SINCE 2000

Scott Harris, NOT REGISTERED IN 2007

Allan J. Katz, NOT REGISTERED IN 2007

Robert S. Litt, NOT REGISTERED SINCE 2002

Thomas J. Perrelli, NOT REGISTERED SINCE 2005

Thomas A. Reed, TERMINATION ONLINE

Paul N. Roth, NOT REGISTERED IN 2007

Alan Solomont, NOT REGISTERED IN 2007

Tom E. Wheeler, NOT REGISTERED SINCE 2003]

Don't forget to actually check the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database

Here is video of Edwards debunking your BS: Edwards, Clinton, and Obama debate about Lobbyist

[elixir]

7. I've heard this before. Good post, thank you.

[stahbrett]

8. $214,000 --- what is that, about an hour's worth of money for Obama?

When you donate, you're asked if you're a federal lobbyist. If you're not, then you can donate. It's a pretty simple rule. If someone who works with a lobbyist donates, what's the problem? I don't recall Obama saying that co-workers or relatives of lobbyists are not allowed to contribute. But it's such a pittance when he's raising over $1,000,000 a day that it may be better for PR purposes to just give the money back.

[jackson_dem]

11. Read the links above. That isn't what the Obama campaign does

What they have been caught doing is "Well, that's okay. Your wife can donate..."

Obamites can't have it both ways on the pittance issue. Clinton has raised less than a million from lobbyists yet Obamites scream about it all the time. Either funds from these types of folks matter or they don't.

The larger issue is bundlers, executives, and other corporate high rollers. Obama's biggest contributor is Goldman Sachs. Another big one is Exelon. It isn't the janitors at both companies who are giving $2,300 and $1,200 checks to Obama. In the case of Exelon we know what they are paying for...

[stahbrett]

12. Obama is near or at 1,000,000 unique contributors - how many does Hillary have? (nt)

[jackson_dem]

13. What does that have to do with this?

Do you believe the Obama myuth that her money is all coming from lobbyists, even though less than 1% of her cash comes from them?

[stahbrett]

14. None of Obama's money is coming from federal lobbyists

And his contributors are greater in number, contributing fewer dollars per contribution.

[Zueda]

9. OMG! OMG! OMG!

The Moonie Times! This is so gonna cripple him. I'm switching my support right now!