Dozens Of Former Lobbyists Serving On Obama's Transition Team

New York Times:

President-elect Barack Obama has imposed stricter conflict-of-interest restrictions on his White House transition team than any president before him. But a list of transition team members that his office made public on Friday includes a complicated tangle of ties to private influence-seekers.

Among the full roster of about 150 staff members being assigned to government agencies between now and Inauguration Day are dozens of former lobbyists and some who were registered as recently as this year. Many more are executives and partners at firms that pay lobbyists, and former government officials who work as consultants or advisers to those seeking influence.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Ajegunle]

the keyword being---"FORMER".

[k1k2lee]

This story (and particularly its title) is inflammatory and misleading. The title should say Obama has the tightest restrictions in history but still needs to get things done. The mistake Carter made was that he came to Washington and tried to do everything differently and without working in ANY way with the Washington establishment. Those in government balked and Carter couldn't get anything done. Obama needs to get things done and he knows how to do it. And he's weaning away from lobby-centered government rather than going cold turkey which would prevent him from getting things done. Commenters who complain have no idea how to run a country in the real world.

[evgolightly]

Well said.

[chuk98death]

Basically, this has become silly! Like find waldo the lobbyist or something. What influence is a transition staff goint to have on the president? They did not get him elected so he owns them nothing except the paycheck they get for working on his transition team. Period. This is silly!

[evgolightly]

All lobbyists are not created equal.

There are anti-Iraq war lobbyists, there are environmental lobbyists, there are "legalize marijuana" lobbyists, alternative energy lobbyists ....

[partyofone]

... and they must be terrible at their jobs.

[evgolightly]

good one!

[DWP]

As I understand it Obama set some pretty strick requirements for ex lobbyest to meet before they could serve. Also, most of the experienced people in Washington have been lobbyest at one time or another. However, I don't think it is the lobbyest that is the problem it is how much you allow them to influence you. It is if you are bought and paid for by them. Which Obama is not.

[partyofone]

Washington experience = business as usual.

[bygollymissmolly]

So you would rather see Obama hire people who haven't a clue as to how things work in Washington?

[ohiomark]

Change?

Hiring lobbyists (something he promised NOT to do)

Bringing back all the Clinton cronies.

There is nothing new about this administration. He is just another slick politican who fooled the voters who were not paying close attention.

Bumper stickers and cheap slogans. Some Democrats will fall for anything.

[tavote08]

Hence so called Regan Democrats...

[evgolightly]

Yeah, change. You have to give the guy a chance before you pounce on a flimsy article. Of course there are former lobbyists on his transition team. Most lobbyists are experts in their fields or former members of cabinets and congress.

We shouldn't vilify every lobbyist because many of them are doing us a service (the environmental lobby, for instance).

Obama said that lobbyists will not set his agenda because he has not depended on their donations to fund his campaign, and therefore owes them nothing. There's no reason to doubt his word when he has yet to take office.

[ohiomark]

I'm not the one bashing lobbyists. They are a part of Washington that we will never be rid of. The media has demonized the ones they don't like and the word "lobbyist" has become a dirty word.

Lobbyists are all about influence. That's their job. For Obama to say that they won't influence him is about as believable as him saying that Rev. Wright never influenced him.

[jingles32]

"They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am President of the United States."

THAT is what he said.

.

[aliceinthewater]

Nice.

Read the article.

Get back to us.

[rollingdivision]

Ohiomark, they don't care what anyone says about their man, they're in love.

[ohiomark]

Battered liberal syndrome.

[jsarets]

In addition to being FORMER lobbyists and not in the same field they are working on for Obama, these people are on the TRANSITION team, not the administration they are helping to staff. It's a different skill set.

It doesn't matter how brilliant your ideas and untarnished your record, you've got to know people. You almost have to be battle-scared insider that walks in various establishment circles in order to recruit a federal administration.

Also, we've only had one Democratic administration in the past 28 years, so there's a limited pool of first-hand experience to tap. There's a limit to intelligence, insight, and intuition when you have to hire several thousand people in two and a half months.

[Independentjunkie]

Promises made . Promises broken. period.

what the kids here don't get is , yes they are former lobbyist , because to work in the govt body you cannot hold two jobs down ( one of which is govt job). So using the " FORMER" as an excuse does not hold water. He distinctly made claims that no special interest people will be part of his team.

WELL children, worshipers--- having people who were lobbyist just months ago in his team is a broken promise.

Do you get it ? these people were not lobbyist in the 90's they were lobbyist up to a few months ago and they are tied by history to special interest.

Now lets hear the excuse making.. because I bet you fools don't understand that technically you have to give up your lobbyist post to hold a govt job.

Technically you cannot ever have " current lobbyist " work a double dip by also holding a govt job. So when obama said he was not going have those people in his white house .... he lied!

Hold his feet to the fire... don't wear knee pads

[evgolightly]

Special interests which conflict with ones "promised" interests (ending Iraq war, cutting middle class taxes, creating green jobs, investing in infrastructure, making health care affordable and student loads available, etc) are the problem.

The problem is that people stray from their lofty intentions because they find themselves dependent on special interests to raise money for endless campaigns. Our system is flawed because it's impossible to govern when you've got money worries and your opponent's blanketing the airwaves back home because he's taking the very money you promised not to. The beneficiaries of this nonsense are the "media", whose profits swell every election cycle.

That's why very rich guys end up running and winning - they just write checks for their campaigns and don't have to schlepp from fundraiser to fundraiser, night after night.

Our system is terribly flawed in this respect. Obama's candidacy was refreshing in that he used the internet to raise unprecedented sums in small increments. He owes no one anything. This should be comforting to you, a seasoned veteran of politics.

There's no reason, so far, to be cynical about our new president. His heart is in the right place and his mind is sharp and focused. Give him a chance -- you might be surprised.

[iPolitics]

Greenpeace has lobbyists.

[iamasocialist]

THESE LOBBYISTS ARE VULTURES. NO WONDER WASHINGTON IS SO MESSED UP

[rollingdivision]

What is being done here is very bad for the country. During the campaign, Obama flat out stated, "One year from now, we have the chance to tell all those corporate lobbyists that the days of them setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more to take on lobbyists than any other candidate in this race - and I’ve won. I don’t take a dime of their money, and when I am President, they won’t find a job in my White House.". Now, the first thing he seems to have done when he won the election is start hiring a lot of lobbyists. What is bad is this immediately shows the US public, Obama was knowingly disingenuous during the campaign. It makes him look like all the other lying politicians.

[ilovemycat]

Obama is stipulating restrictions on these people. Lobbyists are everywhere, the difference is they won't have the same type of influence under an Obama presidency that they did have under the Bush presidency. Relax, he knows what he is doing and he will keep his promises. Just have faith!

[rollingdivision]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the same old politician double talk, he said no lobbyist will "find a job in my White House" and now they're all over the place. He didn't say they would be restricted he said they would NOT be there, huge difference. Problem is this is making him look like all the other politicians which isn't good for the country.

[MrKINOKO]

Interesting spin on the truth, rollingHannity. As I recall, Obama said NO FEDERAL LOBBYISTS...a really big difference in the scheme of things. Federal lobbyists, such as the army of them dispatched to DC by the NRA, are a form of leech better left in the remotest jungles of the world. Take, and don't give, and deal in the currency of favors and innuendos. Carpetbagers, if you will. A State or local lobbyist, on the other hand, doesn't get paid twice a year as a "consultant", and fill out a 1099R...they are paid by cities, communities, grass root orgs, etc., to promote their local agendas. Technically, Obama himself was an unregistered "Lobbyist" for his community organization, and maybe for the Annenberg Foundation...I'm not really sure on that one, but it's kinda the definition. You do know what "corporate" means, right? As opposed to an unregistered NPO or organization Lobbyist? I think that before you start slandering our President, you should at least familiarize yourself with what a "registered Federal Lobbyist" and an "Advocate" ( such as the ones on Obama's transition staff are...advocates) are, and the striking differences between them. May I suggest a poli Sci class at your local community college? Or the old, dusty High School civics book in your garage?

[jeplanet]

It seems to me that lobbyists are everywhere in Washington. It might be pretty hard to avoid them entirely. As long as they are FORMER lobbyists, what should it matter? They might be really smart people, capable of getting things done.
Let's wait and see, shall we ??

[rollingdivision]

You weren't saying that during the campaign.

[LemonMeringue]

Just so they don't hide anything.

[kellygrrrl]

well, we can rest assured we won't see the likes of Nancy Pfukinwhatever and Schmucker Bounds

[aznurse]

You are a funny grrrl!!

[AnalyzeIT]

LOL......love their new names - fits them well.

[cyndeewi]

Read the title, they are FORMER Lobbyist. So why are you writing the article?

[rasit]

So as to sell their newspaper...I don't see any other useful purpose for this article. Moreover, this information is no secret and is on the Change.gov website

[southernfried]

not all lobbyists are bad

[kellygrrrl]

HRC: "Lobbyists are people, too." :)