“I Can’t Wait for That”
I’m guessing that the lobbyists didn’t quite get Nancy Pelosi’s message. In case you missed it, here’s a decent summation of what she’s promised.
The House Democrats’ package, which incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) promised to enact during the Democrats’ first day in control, would prohibit lawmakers and their staff from accepting meals, gifts and trips paid for by lobbyists or organizations that employ lobbyists. To end a Jack Abramoff practice — the use of nonprofit groups to disguise trips paid for by lobbyists or other interested parties — the Democrats’ measure would require advance approval for other travel. Lawmakers would be barred from riding corporate jets for official travel but could still do so on campaign and political trips, a loophole that ought to be plugged. Lawmakers and staffers would have to wait two years, not one as currently, to lobby their former colleagues.
That all sounds pretty good. Except that the lobbyists – the ones who are gong to be laying out millions of our dollars in exchange for billions of ours – are licking their chops.
[Long time "Dean of Washington Lobbyists" Thomas] Boggs, 66, and other Democratic lobbyists have a fresh opportunity to leverage a lifetime of relationships after their party this week won control of both houses of Congress, the first time they have done so since 1992. They’re now in position to guide corporate America through a new Washington as lawmakers pledge reviews of regulations on industries from oil to banking.
“The people in control of most of the House hierarchy are all very close friends of mine,” Boggs said in an interview in his Washington office, a chewed-up cigar in his ashtray and a view of his alma mater behind him. “For me, it will be fun to watch these guys who have been very frustrated for a very long time to be able to exercise some agenda power.”
Boggs hasn’t exactly been out in the cold during the last 12 years. As a partner in Washington’s largest lobbying firm, Patton Boggs LLP, he’s one of the top influence brokers in the capital, with clients including drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Boggs has known Pelosi since he was 4 years old, went to school with Pelosi’s husband, and has known Steny Hoyer for quite a long time as well.
So, you think he’s concerned about Pelosi’s “reform” agenda? It sure doesn’t look like it.
Here’s another couple of lobbyists who can’t wait for January.
Steve Elmendorf, 45, who represents clients including Union Pacific Corp. and Fannie Mae at Bryan Cave Strategies LLC in Washington, served as deputy campaign manager for Democrat John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid. Before that, he was chief of staff for six years to Pelosi’s predecessor as House minority leader, former Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri.
When New York Senator Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada decided they wanted Democrat Bob Casey Jr. to run against Santorum, they consulted Tony Podesta [lobbyist and brother of former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta], then serving as Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s re-election campaign chairman. Podesta talked to Casey and helped persuade Rendell to back him.
The weekend before the election, Podesta barnstormed through Pennsylvania with Pelosi to help candidates in the state. “We’re friends and long-time allies,” he said. “I have her cell phone number; she has my cell phone number.”
Feeling confident in Pelosi’s ability to rebuff these folks who are not only old and close friends, but who have had unprecedented access not only to her but also to key powerful Democrats? Think that Pelosi is going to say “no” to someone who campaigned to secure her victory?
One more witness, then. Let’s hear from Lawrence Castagnetti, who is a lobbyist and former chief of staff to Democratic Senator Max Baucus.
Even some Democrats say the shift in power may not make a gigantic difference in policy. Speaking of his Republican partners, Castagnetti, 45, said that “the only difference is that now when we go to client meetings, I speak first, they speak second.”
“I can’t wait for that,” he added.
It is possible for Pelosi to enact real lobbying reform in Congress. In order to do so, though, she’s going to have to say no to an awful lot of close friends and rebuff a whole bunch of people who worked hard to put her in the Speaker’s seat and who expect to be rewarded. I haven’t seen anything in Pelosi’s history to indicate that she’s capable of turning any of them away. Remember that she voted against the incredibly weak “public disclosure” rule that passed the Senate earlier and set up a pretty restricted database of pork projects (but not the ones passed by Congress, just the ones allowed by the Executive Branch). You think she’s really going to suddenly get tough on lobbyists?
I could be wrong, but I’d say the chance of that is as slim as chances get.
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Category: Our New Democratic Overlords
