The Revolving Door: Lawmaker To Lobbyist

(CBS)  He did everything from lead the Senate to sing in a group called the Vocal Majority.

Then last fall, after 35 years in Congress, Trent Lott, R-Miss., made a surprise announcement: he was quitting, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

"Trish and I have decided it's time for us to do something else," Lott said on Nov. 26, 2007.

"Something else" turned out to be lobbying.

Lott joined up with another former senator, John Breaux, D-La., to open their own firm in a Washington, D.C. office building. Ex-members of Congress can double their earnings as lobbyists, paid by special interests to directly influence their former colleagues.

And guess what those former members of Congress can take with them to their big lobby jobs: their leftover campaign funds, unspent money given by donors during their election.

Ethics rules prohibit spending it for personal use... but you won't believe what ex-members of Congress are allowed to do with their campaign money: donate it as lobbyists to their former colleagues.

Lott had a whopping $1.3 million left in his reelection fund when he quit the Senate and opened his lobby firm. One of the first big clients to jump aboard was Northrop Grumman, which is lobbying to keep a $35 billion air force contract for plane re-fuelers.

Lott has dipped into his campaign chest to donate money to former colleagues, who could influence the Northrop Grumman deal, including Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Roger Wicker, who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He's also contributed to the Senate's top Republican Mitch McConnell.

Government watchdog Sheila Krumholz says it's perfectly legal … but shouldn't be.

"Not only do they have incredible access to their former colleagues, but they can give out money to those colleagues to keep the doors open," said Krumholz.

Krumholz's group, the Center for Responsive Politics, says more lawmakers than ever are moving through that golden revolving door from Congress to lobbyist, and then using leftover campaign funds on Capitol Hill.

According to Congressional Quarterly, 195 members have crossed over to lobbying since 2005.

Is this a way of getting around election law that says they shouldn't personally benefit from the funds?

"I think it is," Krumholz said. "I think it's a distinction almost without difference."

Lott wouldn't agree to an interview but has said he's merely donating to Republicans he believes in, not trying to win favors.

Whatever the reason, with the revolving door spinning faster than ever, it means more leftover campaign funds converted and carried over into the lobby world … Washington style.

[mavtx]

WAKE UP AMERICA! Why isn%u2019t this unfair political booty front-page news? In the age of the Internet and transparency in an ordinary citizen%u2019s life, I invoke an Obama quote (that is if he originally said it), %u201CWe are the ones we%u2019ve been waiting for%u201D.

All forms of organization, regardless how democratic they start, are likely to develop into oligarchies. An oligarchy is a form of government where political power effectively resides with a small elite part of society, usually distinguished by wealth, family or military powers, (i.e.-20 years Bush-Clinton regime). Oligarchists rise to power results from immobility and passivity of the masses vs. the tendency of leaders to organize themselves and to consolidate their interests, and misguided habit of the masses believing they require experienced leaders, thus enabling our co-dependency to the technical indispensability of leadership. In I832 Noah Webster warned, "Corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded.%u201D

Americans UNITE to end America%u2019s current slippery slope into oligarchy! Let%u2019s demand incumbents change these laws, and demand the media report the hypocrisy of political double-speak and unearned public revenue bounty. Let%u2019s make sure this %u201Clobby-scam-gate%u201D is discontinued and be as illegal as it is unethical.

[excoachken]

I wish Tom Reynolds (R., NY), retiring "to spend more time with his family," and taking with him over a $1 million in "campaign donations" for a campaign that he knew he would never make, would read this. And then, suddenly, perhaps develop a conscience. But, by gosh, he has already accepted such a high paying lobbying job, in WASHINGTON! Iguess he didn''t want to be THAT close to his family.

[cfin5]

In 1832 Noah Webster wrote down these warnings: "If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for the selfish or local purposes;

"Corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded.

"If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws."

"Corruption of morals is rapid enough in any country without a bounty from government. And...the Chief Magistrate of the United States should be the last man to accelerate its progress."

[cyberus-2009]

Why does this surprise anyone?

These people spend *millions* to get a job that pays a fraction of what they spent to get it.
Why spend all that money? Because after a few terms you get a pension, free medical and another high paying job.

[l8c6]

They may be singing now but their bodies will fail them and they''ll be stuck wallowing in the confines of the corrupted, perverse, immoral, unethical and evil entities they''ve willfully chosen to become.

[l8c6]

With these morally bankrupt swine it has to be in writing because right from wrong is not in their repertoire. It may be legal but it is clearly unethical and immoral to those who have these qualities intrinsically. Those donating to this devil''s campaign did it on behalf of their interests, not on behalf of global multi-million, billion and perhaps trillion dollar private capitalist ventures.

I worked with a low functioning sociopath today that has no insight into why it was wrong to embezzle from his grandmother. The U.S. government is full of high functioning sociopaths that have no sense of morality, ethics or justice.

[j-whitman]

jjarden,,,, The corruption certainly won''t stop with Bush 3, inspite of the lies he''s telling America

He want''s to reward his lobbyist Doug Goodyear with the GOP Convention --- He worked for the ruling junta in Burma as CEO of DCI Group, who lobby''s for Exxon, Mobil & others --- DCI also runs McCain''s own 527''s he says he wants ended, called Progress for America & several others.

[jjarden]

...And the Graft and Corruption Continues...Is it any wonder WHY nobody BELEIVES in Government anymore?

When are WE the People Going to RUN these Crooks OUT of Town on a Rail? When are we going to REVOLT?

[mascarponi-2009]

A BOOK YOU SHOULD READ :
Title: WHEN CORPORATIONS RULE THE WORLD
written by a respected author David Korten.

Synopsis
As last year''s World Trade Organization protests in Seattle indicate, author Korten is not alone in his concern about the harmful effects of globalization on politics, society, and the environment. He examines how economic globalization has resulted in the emergence of a new organizational form--the transnational corporation.

Annotation
In a well-reasoned, extensively researched analysis, Korten exposes the harmful effects globalization is having on all areas of life--not just economics, but also politics, society, and the environment--and outlines a grassroots strategy for getting corporations out of politics and creating a world responsive to human needs and the natural environment.



Title: WHEN CORPORATIONS RULE THE WORLD
--- by David C. Korten
Textbook Paperback - 2ND
Average Customer Rating: 5 stars
ISBN-13: 9781887208048Sales
Pub. Date: January 2001

[randynason]

Well, isn''t that the logical thing to do? -Turn from "representing" the people, to representing the people that "represent" the people. Anyway you look at it, the majority of them are a bunch of ****** with three-piece suits and a condensed mastery of politico-verbiage.