Ever heard of the "K Street Project"?

[shance]

The K Street Project is a project by the Republican Party to pressure Washington lobbying firms to hire Republicans in top positions, and to reward loyal GOP lobbyists with access to influential officials. It was launched in 1995, by Republican strategist Grover Norquist and House majority leader Tom DeLay.

K Street in Washington DC is where the big lobbying firms have their headquarters and is sometimes refered to as the fourth branch of government.

Lobbying firms have great influence in U.S. national politics due to monetary resources and the revolving door policy of hiring former government officials. It is common practice for politicians to request money for lobbying firms for an exchange in better access to officials and to buy favoritism in policies.

Historically, K Street hires top ex-politicians from both major parties since party in power can vary between elections and among the legislative and executive branches in government.

During most of the George W. Bush administration, the Republican party had majority control of both houses of Congress, in addition to control of the White House. DeLay of the House, Rick Santorum of the Senate, and Grover Norquist took this opportunity to expand the K Street Project by pressuring major lobbying firms to hire only Republicans in any new or open positions.

But in June 2004, the Washington Post reported that the power of the K Street Project might be waning. "According to a review of job listings in Influence.biz, a lobbying newsletter, more than 40 percent of lobbyists with identifiable party backgrounds hired in the past six months have been Democrats. During the same period a year earlier, Democrats constituted only 30 percent of those hired." <1> (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21972-2004Jul1.html)

With "Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) running neck and neck with President Bush in most polls and with the outlook for the Senate a tossup, a wide range of interest groups are filling some of their lobbying and public relations openings with Democrats -- just in case the center of influence switches. 'There is some bet-hedging going on that wasn't going on a year and a half ago,' said Thomas Hale Boggs Jr. of Patton Boggs LLP, one of Washington's largest lobbying-law firms." --Washington Post, July 1, 2004 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21972-2004Jul1_3.html).

In September 2004, The Hill reported the opposite K Street hiring trend: "Retiring House Democrats are feeling a cold draft from K Street as they seek post-congressional employment at lobbying firms, trade groups and corporations. By contrast, K Street is aggressively courting GOP lawmakers who have announced their retirements, suggesting that the business community is confident the GOP will retain the Speaker's gavel in January and that business wants to fortify its Republican Rolodexes." <2> (http://thehill.com/news/091504/kstreet.aspx)

Not everyone agreed with the conclusion that "the 'K Street Project' is alive and well"; "Democrats argue that the crop of retiring lawmakers seeking employment is not broad enough to discern a pattern or divine the intentions of K Street." Retiring Republican Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, who was interviewing with 15 firms, said K Street's current GOP bias is needed to balance a long period of Democratic bias, when the Dems enjoyed House majority party status for 40 years. "K Street is still only 30 percent Republican, so there's a lot more work to do to make it even," said Dunn.<3> (http://thehill.com/news/091504/kstreet.aspx)

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=K_Street_Project

[texpatriot2004]

1. Thanks for the details. n.t

[shance]

5. A belated thanks Texpat***

Im a former Texan myself. Born and bred, until I moved to California.

Have very much appreciated all of your terrific posts.

If you're a longhorn, HOOK EM***

;)

[oasis]

2. K and R because DU folk really need to read this. (eom)

[oasis]

3. kick

[shance]

6. Thank ya Oasis darlin***

Appreciate the kicks :)

Hope you're having a good New Year so far!

[oasis]

8. Richard Ben-Veniste mentioned the "K-StreetProject" and its relation to

the Abramoff scandal on today's "Hardball".

p.s.
Thanks for the New Years greeting, and back at ya :hi: :party::toast:

[Blue_Tires]

4. i remember hearing a lot about it when i lived in the DC area

around 2002-2003....haven't heard much about it since then

[KharmaTrain]

7. The New Time/Warner Lobbyist Is A DeLay Accolyte

His former press secretary, if I recall correctly, was hired recently to represent Time/Warner...and I'm sure this was a two-way street. TW needs government cooperation in a bunch of acquistions and other moves they want to make and they face a hostile Communications subcomittee (between McCain and the NRA) that means they need the "real inside" to further monopolize American media. General Electric also needs some favorable rulings as well...especially now that Microsoft is dumping their joint venture. There's still a lot more telcom on the burner that almost was ramrodded through last year and these robber barons are going to do it again.

The good thing is with the exposure of Abramoff, this is going to make a lot of people think about who they write checks to. With the light being shined on this slimy world, the rats will run for their holes and the money that usually flowed into Repugnican coffers will have to find another way or won't be able to flow this election year. A lot of Congresscritters are going to have to explain that $500 or $1,000 or $2,000 Abramoff contribution as well.

The best we can hope is that all this publicity and the fall-out of subsequent trials will keep these goons in hiding for a while.