The American Bar Association has released a statement insisting that laws need to be tightened against lobbyists. They would still support money being given by lobbyists but argue that the definition of lobbyist needs to be broadened and that the process should be more transparent. The Texas Attorney General, on the other hand, has ruled that it is perfectly legal for a registered lobbyist to serve on an education board. The utter brokenness of our system of government is revealed when Congress considers lobbying rules. Dave Levinthal writes "With the nation's influence industry facing congressional proposals that could further crimp how it operates, leaders are responding as they best know how by using lobbyists for lobbyists.....Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) plans to reintroduce legislation that would, in part, seek to ban former members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists and extending to six years a lobbying cooling-off period for top congressional staffers.... Former Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who now works on legislative and government affairs issues for lobby shop Venable LLP, derided Bennet's proposal as misplaced, arguing that campaign cash, not the act of lobbying, is more likely to unduly influence lawmakers. Lobbyists help members. Any corrupting influence is not coming from individuals giving information, said Stupak, who still falls under a one-year lobbying prohibition for former House members, and therefore, is not registered to lobby. The focus should be on money, not speech, if you're worried about corrupting influences. Public financing needs to be considered. He added: Theres nothing inherently wrong with lobbying. In Congress, you'd be hurting no one but yourself.” While I think that Stupak's statement about campaign cash is merited and largely correct, he has a clear conflict of interest when giving his opinions on the revolving door.


Tom Ingram, a former chief for Republican representatives, is going to work for the Huntsman presidential campaign. This wouldn't really be news, expect he is also going to continue to work for his lobbying firm Ingram group. He is registered to lobby for Anheuser-Busch and APTS Action Inc. He has also been called the “most influential person in politics who doesn't hold office” in Tennessee. He has insisted that he can represent politicians and corporations ethically and simultaneously. Over 370 former members of Congress have went through Washington’s revolving door according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The American Legislative Executive Council (ALEC) has been found to be violating Minnesota lobbying laws. They group has been under a lot of pressure from some media outlets because of its ties with oil companies and its “lobbying” (the group isn't registered as a lobbyist group) for repealing of environmental protection laws. Matthew Baker of the Pennsylvania State House is now threatening to take legal action against people who are pointing out that he is involved with groups affiliated with ALEC.

Several corporations and groups have spent over 2 million dollars already this year on lobbying. These groups include: National Cable and Telecommunications Association, American Electric Power Company, American College of Radiology Association, Lockheed Martin, Pfizer, General Dynamics, FedEx, American Bankers Association, the Alliance of Automobile Manufactures and the American Petroleum Institute. T-Mobile spent over a $1 million in the second quarter of the year as their merger with AT&T picks up steam. The AFL-CIO has already spent over 2 million dollars lobbying Wisconsin this year, they spent less than 150,000 last year. In fact every major union in Wisconsin has already spent more this year than they did last year. 153 different lobbying groups have spent money trying to get “No Child Left Behind” re-authorized (a policy hated by both liberals and conservatives).


Netflix, who recently announced they are raising their prices and enjoyed a short-term jump in their stock, has heightened its lobbying. They spent 100,000 dollars (about $30,000 more than they had in the previous quarter) in the second quarter of 2011. They also hired their own in-house lobbyist, a former aide to influential Senators like Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas.

GOP Lobbying firms are continuing to increase and make money. Clark, Lytle & Geduldig also has shown considerable growth in lobbying revenue. The firm has made more than $1.7 million in lobbying fees so far this year, almost twice as much as it had taken in by this time last year. Some of their major clients include AT&T, Allstate Insurance, American Bankers Association, GM, MasterCard, US Chamber of Commerce, and Verizon. They have also given directly to at least 7 different Republican candidates' campaigns.

There is a reason lobbying rules have (and probably will) only seen minor reforms. Lobbying is an extremely profitable business, for not only the lobbyists and the ones they are lobbying for, but for the representatives as well.