Convention Boss's Other Hat: Lobbying G.O.P. for Defense Clients

[Rose Siding]

For more than a year David Norcross has been a key player for the Bush-Cheney campaign in organizing the Republican National Convention. Mr. Norcross has hired the convention's chief executive, headed the committee responsible for guiding decisions on everything from transportation to entertainment and helped make arrangements for the delegations coming to New York.

But Mr. Norcross wears more than one hat.

At the same time that he has held this inside-the-party position with access to top government officials, he has also been lobbying the Bush administration on behalf of clients like Raytheon, the defense contractor. Mr. Norcross lobbied the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, the Senate and the House, all on behalf of Raytheon, while he has been the chairman of the convention, according to records on file with the secretary of the Senate.
...
"Look, this is how this system works," said Fred Wertheimer, executive director of Democracy 21, a Washington-based group that helped push through changes to the campaign finance laws. "These conventions are the oasis, the last remaining watering hole. They are the ultimate mixer for office holders, lobbyists, corporate and other special interests and big money guys."

http://nytimes.com/2004/08/21/nyregion/21convention.html

[Mel]

1. I don't know about the rest of you

but I for one am sick of these people having control over our government!

I did a little google and found the article from Influence Magazine mentioned on pg.2 of the article posted from the NYT here's the quote.
<snip>Mr. Norcross was quoted as saying in a recent issue of Influence Magazine, an independent nonpartisan publication that focuses on lobbying and recently described him as a lobbyist working the convention. "A lot of what I do, I can do on the telephone."


In his convention role, Mr. Norcross is chairman of the Committee on Arrangements, effectively a subsidiary of the Republican National Committee. This committee receives the $15 million federal grant that is used to help pay for the convention and it spends whatever the local host committee for the convention raises - which in this case is expected to exceed $65 million. </snip>

:grr:What we could do for good with that 15 million meanwhile over 43 million Americans have no Health Care Insurance!
It's Socialism for the elite, rich, corporations, and capitalism for poor lucky duckies!

from Influence Magazine
http://www.influence.biz/magazine/articles/july2004/articlepages/convention_gop.htm
They'll Take Manhattan
This year’s Republican National Convention in New York is getting a big boost from the party's friends on K Street

July 2004



It’s the ultimate networking opportunity for true believers in the Grand Old Party. Many of those true believers happen to be lobbyists—and their clients and government contacts. And they all will descend on New York City this August at the Republican National Convention.

K Street’s fingerprints are all over the event. Many lobbyists spent weeks or even months working in various behind-the-scenes roles.



 

 
GOP Players
• David Norcross, Blank Rome
• Roger Levy and Steven Phillips, Piper Rudnick
• Eric Kuwana, Patton Boggs


They helped write contracts for the chairs on which the convention delegates will sit at Madison Square Garden. They will dispatch drivers to New York airports to ferry VIPs to Manhattan. And they will be on call to answer phones or do whatever the party calls on them to do.

At all levels, Republican-connected lobbyists will be a force in New York. Influence takes a look at a few who are playing a role.




DAVID NORCROSS
Blank Rome

The very first Republican National Convention that David Norcross attended was in Philadelphia in 1948. At 11 years old, Norcross was already smitten with politics.</snip>

[Karenina]

2. Kick!

:kick:

[Green Lantern]

3. Corruption and cronyism

are the rule of the day.