Lobbyists

June 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today joined with Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) to introduce the Closing the Foreign Lobbying Loophole Act, which would close loopholes that allow American lobbyists, representing foreign clients, to lobby U.S. government officials without disclosing these activities. Obama is an original cosponsor of the bill.    » read more »

May 22, 2008 -- The Washington Post reveals the cozy relationship between John McCain and the Washington lobbyists he once railed against. Despite his rhetoric about reducing the role of lobbyists in Washington, McCain's inner circle is dominated by lobbyists like Charlie Black, who the Post describes as a "longtime uber-lobbyist" and "a pioneer of the revolving door between campaign consulting and lobbying."

John McCain: Photo by Chris Denbow (CC)    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- John McCain says "[e]thics and transparency are not election year buzz words; they are the obligations of democracy and the duties of honorable public service." Yet his top campaign advisors have no problem lying about their lobbying records. Their excuse? Americans don't care--something McCain has yet to say if he agrees with. [johnmccain.com, accessed 5/19/08]    » read more »

May 19, 2008 -- John McCain says he wants to "[s]top the revolving door" of lobbyists in Washington. But if his campaign is any indication, lobbyists would play a central role in a McCain Administration. McCain's campaign is being run by lobbyists, many of whom lobbied for industries or foreign governments McCain has talked about on the campaign trail.

John McCain's "Straight Talk Express": Photo by Rich McGervey (CC)    » read more »

February 24, 2008 -- David Brooks: "John McCain has a record for 23 years. Every year he goes to the floor of the Senate and makes fun of the earmarks that lobbyists have produced and his colleagues take a little piece of skin out of his back for ridiculing them. He tackled Jack Abramoff even though it made the Republican Party very uncomfortable. He tackled Boeing. "

Excerpts: David Brooks On "Meet The Press"    » read more »

New Public Citizen Study Finds John McCain, Rudy Giuliani Lead the Field With Number of Lobbyist-Bundlers in Their Campaigns

Jan. 29, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The number of lobbyists raising money for the 2008 presidential candidates already has eclipsed the total for the entire 2004 campaign, according to a Public Citizen study released Tuesday.

So far, candidates still in the race have recruited 142 federal lobbyists to raise money for their campaigns, compared to 136 lobbyist fundraisers in 2004.    » read more »

January 11, 2008 -- Maybe it was the strain of doing three debates in five days, or the pressure of facing a second must-win primary in a week, but last night John McCain took his "do anything to win" campaign mentality to a new low. During last night's debate in South Carolina, McCain tried to position himself as an agent of change by bragging about Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff being in prison and claiming that "he will tell you, and his lobbyist cronies, of the change I made" in Washington. [Fox News Debate, 1/10/08]    » read more »

January 7, 2008 -- Throughout recent weeks, John McCain has tried to separate himself from Washington, DC where he has spent the last twenty five years, but he's up against his own record.    » read more »

Statement of Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen

Sept. 14, 2007 -- Public Citizen heartily applauds all those in the 110th Congress, especially Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and all the freshmen lawmakers from the 2006 elections – for taking a huge step toward delivering on their promise to help “clean up the swamp” on Capitol Hill. The “Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007” (S.    » read more »

September 14, 2007 -- Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the following statement today following the President’s signature of the lobbying and ethics reform bill into law:

“Today marks a significant day for our nation, as the President signs the toughest ethics and lobbying reform in generations, and Democrats continue to deliver on our promises to the American people.    » read more »

Sept. 13, 2007, Chapel Hill, North Carolina – In response to Senator Hillary Clinton's comment that the distinction between lobbyists and regular Americans is "artificial," John Edwards for President deputy campaign manger Jonathan Prince released the following statement:    » read more »

September 4, 2007 -- Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the following statement today upon sending the Ethics and Lobbying Reform bill to President Bush for his signature:    » read more »

Calls on Senator Obama to join him in urging Democratic Party to stop taking Washington lobbyist money

Aug 16, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, Senator John Edwards renewed his call for the Democratic Party to take a bold step toward reforming the way Washington works by refusing to accept federal lobbyist money from this day forward.    » read more »

Illinois Senator Says He'll "Take the Blinders" Off the White House

August 15, 2007 -- CEDAR FALLS, IA -- U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today said that as President, he will enact sweeping reforms to dramatically increase transparency and accountability in government to make it responsive and accountable to the American people. The Illinois Senator outlined his plan in remarks that highlighted his record of fighting for ethics and lobbying reforms that were unpopular with political insiders while in the U.S. Senate and the Illinois state Senate.    » read more »

Disregards scientific experts, peer-reviewed studies, relies heavily on data sponsored by chemical industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 8, 2007) – Today an expert advisory committee convened by the National Toxicology Program, the primary federal chemical testing and evaluation program within the National Institutes of Health, released a report which dramatically understates the human health risks from real-world exposure to the toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), according to scientists at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).    » read more »