GOP Monitoring Lobbyists' Politics

[welshTerrier2]

The recent flap at AARP had me combing thru my memory, always a frightening experience ... i've been reading about how Novelli, the guy at AARP in charge of backing the republican medicare bill, was a republican who had written the preface to a book by Newt Gingrich ...

How odd it was to discover that the lobbyist-in-chief for an organization i belonged to (until yesterday !!) that was supposed to be fighting for federal programs for seniors was "on the other side" ...

Well, i finally found the article (See below) ... the right-wing strategy to infiltrate organizations of national lobbyists with "their own people" has been going on for a number of years ... fyi, Novelli came to the AARP in January, 2000 ... it's a simple strategy really ... if your charity is headed up by a democrat, good luck getting anywhere now that republicans control the white house and the congress ... so, if you're smart, you'll put one of our boys in power ...

source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A22406-2002Jun9¬Found=true

Washington Post, 6/10/02

Republicans are researching the party affiliation and political contributions of hundreds of lobbyists in Washington, part of a campaign that could deny government access and prime lobbying jobs to Democrats, according to people familiar with the project.

<snip>

Republicans involved in the effort said they plan for it to be used by White House officials, lawmakers and staff to determine who can meet with party leaders in discussions of policy matters. The idea is to alert GOP officials and staff members to Republicans who "deserve" such access and to Democrats who don't, said one lobbyist involved.

<snip>

Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform and is a frequent visitor to the White House and GOP congressional offices. He said the report's chief aim is to prod trade associations, lobbying firms and corporations to hire more Republicans to represent them in Washington. Norquist lamented that companies and associations may unknowingly retain too many Democrats "who don't represent their interests" in a city now ruled primarily by Republicans.

<snip>

Ever since they won control of the House in the 1994 elections, some key Republicans such as Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) have advocated aggressively tracking the political proclivities of lobbyists. They have wanted to use the information primarily to remove Democrats from top positions at trade associations and Washington-based offices of major corporations.

<snip>

[blm]

1. He was working FOR the WH....

that was a completely under-reported story.

Imagine if Clinton tried to pull that. We'd have heard about it for years.

But, this is how they will gain control of all DC and ALL that remains of government, welsh.

That's why I am SO EXTRA SUSPICIOUS of the way our primary is turning out. It doesn't ring true. It seems most of the media has completely abdicated all duty to the electorate. Like they're handing to Karl the very storyline he outlined, "The Angry Democrats"...It creeps me out.

[welshTerrier2]

3. An- grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr - y

yup ... i really hate to say it, but i'm getting just about the same read you are ... it's very disheartening ...

i'm sorry Deanies ... but i just don't feel good about the guy ... if he's the nominee though, count me in ... i'm not anti-Dean ... i just think we can do better ... i think it takes more than a "great campaign" to win ... Dean feels more like "Madison Avenue" than "Pennsylvania Avenue" to me ... i hope i'm dead wrong ...

btw, do you have a source on your comment that Novelli was working for the WH? ... i'd love to post a source for that on AARP's website ... that is, if the freepers over there aren't afraid of dealing with the facts ... even if the facts are presented by a DU'er ...

[Noordam]

2. AARP headquarters in DC in 1998

on E street.


Before Novelli and before the "new" office.

I have to go by it everyday for 12 weeks go from the MPDC to my hotel. :)