Livingston To Become Lobbyist
Rep. Bob Livingston, the almost speaker of the House, isn't burning any bridges when he leaves Congress at the end of the month: He plans to set up his own lobbying shop.
While Livingston won't be joining an established lobbying firm in Washington, he plans to affiliate with the firm of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, officials close to the Louisiana Republican said.
The firm is based in New Orleans but has a Washington office. Its clients include the First National Bank of Commerce, the Port of New Orleans and Tyson Foods.
Aides to the lawmaker said he couldn't officially announce his plans until after he leaves office Feb. 28.
Livingston had been designated to succeed Newt Gingrich as speaker in the 106th Congress. He shocked colleagues on both sides of the aisle when he announced Dec. 19, while the House was debating articles of impeachment against President Clinton, that he would resign. His announcement came two days after he acknowledged having extramarital affairs. Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., eventually was elected speaker.
As former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, which writes federal spending bills, Livingston should have little trouble attracting blue-ribbon clients, said Charles Lewis, director of the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington watchdog group.
"Because of the committee he served on, he will instantly command big bucks and remarkable access," Lewis said. "This firm's going to shoot out of the box real fast. There aren't too many would-be speakers."
While in office, Livingston, a defense hawk, received more financial support for his campaign committee and political action committee from defense companies than any other source, even though his Louisiana district has no major Pentagon installations.
Livingston is the latest of a number of high-powered lawmakers who recently left Capitol Hill to become lobbyists, though they won't be able to bring their clients' concerns to their former colleagues for a year.
Former House Rules Committee Chairman Gerald B.H. Solomon of New York opened his own firm, affiliated with the lobbying shop headed by former Sen. Paul Laxalt of Nevada. Another New York Republican, Bill Paxon, former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, joined the powerhouse lobbying firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.
Former Senate Minority Whip Wendell Ford, D-Ky., joined the firm of Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky, home to former GOP Rep. Stan Parris of Virginia and former Democratic Sen. Joseph Tydings of Maryland.
Former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Vic Fazio of California is now one of two partners running the Washington office of Clark & Weinstock. The other is former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., who began the Washington operation after he retired in 1994.
Written By Jonathan D. Salant, Associated Press Writer