Obama's Lobbyist Connections

[NJSecularist]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/138519

When Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison wanted state lawmakers to back a hefty rate hike two years ago, it took a creative lobbying approach, concocting a new outfit that seemed devoted to the public interest: Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity, or CORE. CORE ran TV ads warning of a "California-style energy crisis" if the rate increase wasn't approved—but without disclosing the commercials were funded by Commonwealth Edison. The ad campaign provoked a brief uproar when its ties to the utility, which is owned by Exelon Corp., became known. "It's corporate money trying to hoodwink the public," the state's Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said. What got scant notice then—but may soon get more scrutiny—is that CORE was the brainchild of ASK Public Strategies, a consulting firm whose senior partner is David Axelrod, now chief strategist for Barack Obama.

Last week, Obama hit John McCain for hiring "some of the biggest lobbyists in Washington" to run his campaign; Obama's aides say their candidate, as a foe of "special interests," has refused to take money from lobbyists or employ them. Neither Axelrod nor his partners at ASK ever registered as lobbyists for Commonwealth Edison—and under Illinois's loose disclosure laws, they were not required to. "I've never lobbied anybody in my life," Axelrod tells NEWSWEEK. "I've never talked to any public official on behalf of a corporate client." (He also says "no one ever denied" that Edison was the "principal funder" of his firm's ad campaign.)

But the activities of ASK (located in the same office as Axelrod's political firm) illustrate the difficulties in defining exactly who a lobbyist is. In 2004, Cablevision hired ASK to set up a group similar to CORE to block a new stadium for the New York Jets in Manhattan. Unlike Illinois, New York disclosure laws do cover such work, and ASK's $1.1 million fee was listed as the "largest lobbying contract" of the year in the annual report of the state's lobbying commission. ASK last year proposed a similar "political campaign style approach" to help Illinois hospitals block a state proposal that would have forced them to provide more medical care to the indigent. One part of its plan: create a "grassroots" group of medical experts "capable of contacting policymakers to advocate for our position," according to a copy of the proposal. (ASK didn't get the contract.) Public-interest watchdogs say these grassroots campaigns are state of the art in the lobbying world. "There's no way with a straight face to say that's not lobbying," says Ellen Miller, director of the Sunlight Foundation, which promotes government transparency.

More "new politics" from Obama and his associates?

[cottonseed]

1. Dude, it's too late for character assassination.

You should stick to the literal. Like Hillary.

[Blondbostonian]

2. Will you be supporting the Democratic Nominee, NJ?

[cottonseed]

6. I can't answer for NJ, but I suspect he'll end his whinning and do it.

[NJSecularist]

9. Yes, I'll be supporting Hillary. n/t

[cottonseed]

13. Why don't you really punish the Dems and write in Gingrich?

Then you can work to give the congressional majority back to the Repulicans (a Clinton win would have done that, but since they won't be winning...)

[NJSecularist]

15. I'll probably write-in Hillary.

Don't blame me, blame the Obamacult for doing everything possible to piss of Hillary's supporters.

[cottonseed]

18. The Obamacult made me do it. I see.

Good luck with that. It's a pretty weak reason to hand an election to the Republicans, but whatever floats your boat. I see NJ going Obama's way anyways, so you probably could afford to throw your vote away. It's a fine statement at a personal level, but there will be some close races, so being an insolent little shit disturber could be harmful to the Democrats chances in general. I'm not sure if Hillary is more important to you then the direction this country takes, but it's something to think about.

[NJSecularist]

19. You people should have realized there would be reprecussions for calling Hillary a racist

and a murdered and every other name in the book.

You guys made your bed, now you need to sleep in it. :hi: :hi: :hi:

[Rageneau]

7. Ha! So truth is now character assassination and character assassination (HRC is a racist) is truth?

[cottonseed]

11. I don't get where you came up with (HRC is a racist). You need to sit down with someone.

Seek out someone to talk to; in person. Take a vacation, sip some Mai Tais, do something. If you hang on to this too much longer your brain will blow up.

[NJSecularist]

17. Hillary has been accused of being a racist by half this forum.

What are you talking about?

[dchill]

16. Might this not actually be character suicide?

NJSecularist seems to keep on trying...
:shrug:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. If only I hadn't already voted!

3 months ago! :rofl:

[GarbagemanLB]

4. Why did you ever support Obama in the first place? I mean, is there anything about him you like?

[Liberal Veteran]

5. Well, that settles it! I'm voting for squeaky clean Hillary Clinton in my caucus!

Oh, damn....too late.

[johnaries]

8. Uh, that's quite a stretch.

I suppose you think Obama is a member of the Weather Underground, too.

[ProSense]

10. Maybe you should read these

May 21, 2008

McCain Campaign: "In Senator Obama's world, lobbyists can raise money..." (McCain release, 5/21/08)

FACT: Obama's Campaign Does Not Allow Lobbyists To Bundle Donations. "Among some of the leading Democratic and Republican candidates, the plans for disclosure are still unformed even as the bundlers are being recruited. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will provide that information on his campaign Web site; he's also not taking checks, or bundles, from lobbyists." (Washington Post, 2/5/07)

The $1 Million Bundler

[Saturday]

12. Can anyone refute the article? No? I didn't think so. nt

[NJSecularist]

14. They just love to deflect. n/t

[anonymous171]

20. lol More of this BS. I don't give a shit how he ran his campaign in Illinois

[NJSecularist]

21. I thought he was ushering in the era of "new politics"?

So it's just a campaign slogan?