Political revolving door keeps swinging, report shows

Twenty-eight moderate "Blue Dog" Democrats lost or gave up their congressional seats in the 2010 elections, but nearly a third of them have held onto their influence in Washington as lobbyists, a new report shows.

Eight former "Blue Dogs" are now working for companies or organizations that engage in federal lobbying, according to iWatchnews.org, a project of the Center for Public Integrity. They include: Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.), Walt Minnick (Idaho), Allen Boyd (Fla.), Charles Melancon (La.), Brad Ellsworth (Ind.), Bart Gordon (Tenn.), Earl Pomeroy (N.D.) and John Tanner (Tenn.).

Lawmakers have in recent years sought to limit the influence of lobbyists. In 2007, Congress passed updated ethics rules, which included a measure barring former House and Senate members from lobbying the legislative branch directly for at least a year. In one of his first acts as president, President Obama instituted a rule barring White House aides from lobbying the White House after they leave for at least two years.

Still, lobbyists for special interests have continued to peddle their influence to both the White House and Congress through various loopholes. And in spite of the restrictions on former members of Congress lobbying the legislative branch, they may still lobby other branches of government directly after leaving office. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a total of 361 former members of Congress are now registered lobbyists, bringing their personal connections and unique knowledge of Congress to their new firms.

Blue Dog Democrats, iWatchnews.org points out, cultivated a business-friendly, moderate reputation that would make former members particularly appealing to organizations that lobby in Washington. The group, before having its ranks cut from 54 to 26 in the 2010 elections, played a significant role in critical policy debates, such as health care reform.

Pomeroy, who represented North Dakota for 18 years before losing his seat last year, told iWatchnews that he joined the lobbying firm Alston & Bird because he helped pass health care reform and "I darn sure want to make sure it works." The firm has received at least $1.5 million in lobbying contracts for health interests, according to its first-quarter disclosure statements.

"I don't feel like I have lowered my moral standard or that you can't work as an advocate in Congress but not [when you're] outside Congress because it's somehow dishonorable," Pomeroy said. "If I believe in something, I have a fundamental First Amendment right to try and advance a cause."

An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to iWatchnews.org as iWatch.org.