From Senate Staffs to Lobbyists: The Ties that Bind (Santorum, etc)

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/14305140.htm
Philadelphia Inquirer (free registration required)

"From Staff to Lobbyist: The Ties that Bind. Lobbyists are getting money for their ex-bosses — Pa. senators — and clients.

When John Dick and Joseph Kuklis left Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum's office, they picked the profession of many former staffers. They became lobbyists. They moved into the same building where Santorum has his Pittsburgh office, hired a staff with ties to Democratic and Republican officeholders, started a political action committee, and landed $35 million in appropriations, often for firms that had never received federal money before.

...In the last decade, the number of registered lobbyists has tripled to nearly 33,000 and the amount of so-called earmarks - money for projects that lawmakers attach to spending bills - topped $29 billion. A small circle of former staffers to Santorum and Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.) have, in turn, made earmarks their business, acting as the middlemen between clients and Pennsylvania's congressional delegation in winning more than $100 million in appropriations since 2001, according to public records, interviews and analysis by The Inquirer.

Dick is one of at least two dozen former Santorum aides who became registered lobbyists since 1998. ...About a dozen of them seek earmarks, records show. They also pepper lawmakers with contributions - at least $170,000. However, one staffer beyond that circle stands out: Mike Mihalke, a Santorum press aide until 1995, spread $116,000 around the country as a partner since 2003 at Alexander Strategies Group, which has been linked to three corruption investigations. Disclosure forms show that he lobbied mostly on policy, but had sought defense money for three clients."

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Commentary: By the way, this is the new trend - boutique lobbyists. A group of former staff-persons from the office of a current Senator or House member form a firm to mainly lobby that Senator or House member.