A G.O.P. Leader Bound to Lobbyists

[ProSense]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — House Democrats were preparing late last year for the first floor vote on the financial regulatory overhaul when Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio and other Republican leaders summoned more than 100 industry lobbyists and conservative political activists to Capitol Hill for a private strategy session.

The bill’s passage in the House already seemed inevitable. But Mr. Boehner and his deputies told the Wall Street lobbyists and trade association leaders that by teaming up, they could still perhaps block its final passage or at least water it down.

<...>

That sort of alliance — they won a few skirmishes, though they lost the war on the regulatory bill — is business as usual for Mr. Boehner, the House minority leader and would-be speaker if Republicans win the House in November. He maintains especially tight ties with a circle of lobbyists and former aides representing some of the nation’s biggest businesses, including Goldman Sachs, Google, Citigroup, R. J. Reynolds, MillerCoors and UPS.

They have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaigns, provided him with rides on their corporate jets, socialized with him at luxury golf resorts and waterfront bashes and are now leading fund-raising efforts for his Boehner for Speaker campaign, which is soliciting checks of up to $37,800 each, the maximum allowed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/us/politics/12boehner.html?src=me

[truthisfreedom]

1. I'm shocked, I tell you! Shocked!

[Kookaburra]

2. Wow, NY Times!

Look who finally caught on.

[mike r]

3. The principled public servant

[awoke_in_2003]

4. 98% of them...

(and I mean both parties) are bound to lobbyists.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Oldtimeralso]

6. Wasn't it a Rep. that said

"Government by the corporation and for the corporation..." or something like that.

[No Elephants]

7. Headline does not name Boehner. Cute, NYT headline writer, really cute.

[wordpix]

8. O! how easily this stuff is forgotten, so thanks