Hillary Appoints Former Junk Food Lobbyist As Head Of Black Outreach

[Report1212]

You can't say she's not consistent.

While in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton tapped LaDavia Drane to head her campaign's outreach to black voters.

Drane most recently worked for Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser. Before that, she was a director at the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. These are public service positions well-suited for outreach to the African American community. So is campaigning for Barack Obama in 2008 and working for Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH). But between her stints working for the government, she took some time off to lobby for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

Read more: http://www.alternet.org/hillary-appoints-former-junk-food-lobbyist-head-black-outreach

[mcar]

1. So we ignore Ms. Dranes public service?

[awoke_in_2003]

43. That doesn't make for good headlines...

must have outrage.

[mcar]

45. Too true

[JaneyVee]

2. Her twitter page:

Her tweets are protected but only tweeted 3x so she must be fairly new: https://mobile.twitter.com/lsd_esq?lang=en

[leftofcool]

3. Sounds like great choice considering her service.

[Proud Public Servant]

4. You have no idea how a DC career works

DC is full of young wildly underpaid strivers, struggling to gain enough experience to climb the ladder (my daughter, in fact, is one of them). To do they, they frequently take jobs that do not totally align with their ideals, which I know is completely unheard of anywhere else in America. Why? Sometimes those are the jobs you can get. Sometimes you can't resist the cash (student loans don't pay themselves). Sometimes a dubious job will nevertheless enhance your skill set and resume enough to allow you access to the jobs you really want. All sorts of good reasons.

But seeking to tar Hillary because a woman on her staff who campaigned for Obama and worked for DC's reformist mayor also had a job once that didn't pass someone's purity test? That's pathetic.

[Man from Pickens]

6. People know all about industry-government revolving doors

The practice of playing both sides of the fence - one day, "public servant", next day industry lobbyist - is how we got into this mess.

For most people, this is a fairly intuitive and straightforward connection to make.

The whole point of the popular revolution that is brewing is that we DO know how a DC career works and we are SICK TO DEATH of it!

[Scuba]

46. +1,000

[sabrina 1]

10. I don't think that's a helpful excuse. It just emphasizes how corrupted our system is.

There ARE people who do NOT compromise their principles, especially to 'advance their careers' or for money.

That is going to be a very big issue in this campaign.

Candidates COULD look for a struggling, principled individual for such a job thereby providing them with the opportunity they need to put their principles into action.

They DO exist, I actually know a few of them.

[woo me with science]

42. [phone]

[Report1212]

15. I myself had a DC career and never once worked as a corporate lobbyist

As didn't 99% of people who work in DC. It's a big industry, but it's not the only industry.

[Proud Public Servant]

27. It's an industry that favors those with Congressional experience

In part that's for the access. In part it's for the cultural knowledge (the Hill can be a bewildering place to negotiate for an outsider). In part it's for the expertise (Hill staffers, I'm convinced, are really the only people in DC who understand the laws Congress writes). It sounds like she had a knowledge of congressional issues that the firm really valued. It also sounds like she did that for a couple of years and moved on to things that would cause DU members to clutch fewer pearls.

I doubt I have anything to sell a corporate lobbying firm, and I think the work would bore me; I'm also lucky enough to have a good job, no debt, and a healthy family. But would I never say never? No, I wouldn't -- unless I was saying "never" to judging someone I don't know for making a choice about which I have no information, and then judging her new boss for hiring he. I'll sure say "never" to that.

[1StrongBlackMan]

39. What was your "DC Career"? ...

I have family that have worked in DC, a combined 100+ years, and never worked as corporate lobbyists ... two were business to business sales reps and a third was a janitor.

Do you have the requisite skill set?

[1StrongBlackMan]

38. Didn't you know? ...

every job you take ... You take for the expressed purpose of making a political statement?

[tazkcmo]

40. Well said

If we hate on her then make sure you ridicule your neighbor for working at Walmart.

[MineralMan]

5. Junk food? You ignore her other work, and

assume that the Grocery Manufacturer's Association is about junk food? Really?

Kinda disgusting, this is...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Maybe we are all supposed to be self sufficient and produce our own food?/NT

Last edited Fri May 29, 2015, 02:18 PM - Edit history (1)

[mythology]

18. For my money

You can drop the kinda.

[MineralMan]

19. I always try to include qualifying language.

It cushions the blow.

[kenfrequed]

29. They sound like they are representing grocery stores or something...

But the truth is that they actually do some pretty revolting lobbying work.


http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Grocery_Manufacturers_Association

[MineralMan]

30. It still has nothing to do with Black Outreach for a campaign.

Nothing whatsoever. She won't be advising Clinton on food or grocery manufacturing issues in this job. Only on how to best reach out to black voters. Do you see the difference?

[kenfrequed]

35. I understand that

I was just refuting your suggestion that the GMA was benign.


That said, I really hope that people going into these sorts of jobs are fed up with working for corporations and want to make a difference. The only problem I have is that these sort of campaign jobs sometimes just strengthen the iron triangle of political lobbying. I hope that she is trying to turn over a new leaf and do work for the people and in the name of outreach but I think we do need to worry when lobbyists are constantly going through the circular door of government work.

Obviously there isn't going to be a lot of industry work that can be done in this kind of a campaign position so maybe I am hopeful that this is a change in her occupation.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. Keep us the good work, President Hillary Clinton thanks you./NT

[sufrommich]

9. Incredibly lame hit piece on a woman who has spent her

life doing good work. This should go over well.

[MineralMan]

11. What does "Black Outreach"

have to do with a Grocery Manufacturers Association? I don't believe this woman will be pitching groceries in this job. I believe you've wasted some of my time.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. I assure you these attacks on a young, aspirational African American woman ...

I assure you these attacks on a young, aspirational African American woman are not going to help the candidate of their choice. I believe I speak for all Hillary Clinton supporters when I say I hope they keep it up.

[tazkcmo]

41. Not a HRC supporter

But this is ridiculous and I agree with you.

[KamaAina]

12. I do not see anything about junk food on their website

http://www.gmabrands.com

[NCTraveler]

14. Sounds like an amazing person with excellent credentials.

Here is the press release from GMA when she was originally hired.

(Washington, D.C.) Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) President and CEO, Pamela G. Bailey today announced the appointment of LaDavia S. Drane as Senior Director, Federal Affairs.

"I am pleased to welcome LaDavia to the GMA team,” said Ms. Bailey. “LaDavia comes to us with a solid background in politics, legal, legislative and regulatory policy. Her most recent work in the House of Representatives involving childhood obesity policy makes her the ideal person to build upon GMA’s important health and nutrition mission.”

Ms. Drane comes to GMA from the office of U.S. Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge where she was Legislative Counsel.

Prior she worked for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), where she served as director of legislative and regulatory policy. Previously, Drane served as an attorney for Ulmer & Berne LLP and a field organizer for Obama for America. She also served as an extern for the Honorable Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. of the U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio.

Drane earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Richard T. Farmer School of Business, Miami University of Ohio.

She will begin her new duties December, 20th 2010.
- See more at: http://www.gmaonline.org/news-events/newsroom/gma-appoints-ladavia-s-drane-senior-director-federal-affairs/#sthash.qN66hwdy.dpuf

[NCTraveler]

16. oops.

Someone just learned that just because you read it on the internet doesn't mean its true. Excellent lesson learned for you.

[Cheese Sandwich]

17. It's totally fair to point out politicans' connections to big business...

And just how close the government is to business.

[MineralMan]

20. Who do you work for?

Most people work for corporations, after all, in one way or another.

[Cheese Sandwich]

21. None of your business

Anyway there is a big difference between having a job at a corporation and being a corporate lobbyist.

A corporate lobbyist is a paid shill who tries to get laws passed in favor of corporations even if the laws are bad for people.

[MineralMan]

22. Yes, you're right. It's none of my business.

Thanks for letting me know.

[Sheepshank]

23. Clearly, all future appointees MUST have previously been self employed

with no contracts, no dealings with and no representation of any corporations. That would includes trades such as a cleaning lady, attorney, contactor, aquarium mantenance, car wash owners, carpet cleaning companies, the phone companies, software sles companies, hardward sales companies, candy companies, apparel wear and beauty shops etc etc. That would leave very few people that would qualify under those standards.

[MineralMan]

28. The funny thing is that she'll be heading up Black Outreach for the

Clinton campaign. Let's see...how is she qualified for that? Oh, yes...she worked with the Congressional Black Caucus. Sounds like an outstanding qualification to me.

I doubt she'll be advising candidate Clinton on food issues, to tell you the truth.

[NCTraveler]

26. Doesn't it suck when a business hires...

an extremely qualified person in the field of fighting childhood obesity? I can see that just burns you.

[Cheese Sandwich]

32. I can see it just burns you when a company hires a qualified person...

... is a mean thing to say, because no you can't see that, and I did not say anything like that.

I just have a problem with big businesses being so close to the government.

All the grocery companies got together and hired a crew of lobbyists to defend grocery companies against regulations that could protect workers, consumers, and the environment.

And then those same lobbyists go back and forth between working for the government and in politics and then back again for an industry payday.

What you've said has really hurt my feelings because you said I don't like it when companies hire qualified people. I feel like you are implying that I am either racist or sexist. That has really made me sad.

[NCTraveler]

34. This person is not a part of some kind of revolving door.

You should read their bio before commenting. She was extremely qualified for the position at GMA and for the position Hillary hired her at. She isn't a part of some revolving door as you are suggesting. That does make the implication a little uncomfortable. It also appears you aren't very aware of GMA. She is in no position to influence issues with respect to grocery stores at the position she was hired for.

[Cheese Sandwich]

36. I'm sure she is a most respected and qualified manager, political organizer and corporate lobbyist.

[RufusTFirefly]

24. The Grocery Manufacturers Association is at the forefront of the anti-GMO labeling campaign

It's not just some quaint consortium of Ike Godseys



As a powerful industry lobby, the GMA donated millions to defeat the Prop 37 (CA) and I-522 (WA) state ballot initiatives to label GMOs.

[sufrommich]

31. She's been hired as the black outreach coordinator,why is she being

attacked for working for GMA which has zero to do with what she will do with the Clinton campaign?

[Orsino]

25. Weak attack. n/t

[Prism]

33. She seems more than qualified

No one in DC is untainted (which is part of the problem), but Clinton wanted someone with experience and bona fides, and Drane certainly has them.

If we pointed out every campaign staffer who has oily DC connections and jobs, we'd have no time to talk about anything else. I also expect that Sanders and others will hire less than perfect human beings.

It's a valid, but fairly weak complaint. Seems immaterial all things given. She'll probably do a remarkable job.

[Sheepshank]

37. y-e-a-h...sufficiently embarassed about promoting a lying headline?

I would be.

Misleading and outright lying headlines and headings being done on DU a lot lately
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6742224
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=408351
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6708348

[OilemFirchen]

44. Here's a tip about scraping the bottom of the barrel:

You will never complete the task if you keep filling it up with shit.

You're welcome.