Axelrod’s Spin On Obama And Lobbyists Is Just More Words On Obama’s Failed Promises

AXELROD FALSELY SAYS OBAMA ENDED THE REVOLVING DOOR BETWEEN GOV’T AND LOBBYISTS 

Watch Axelrod’s Comments Here 

David Axelrod: “But more importantly as president, he has ended the revolving door between industry and the government so he doesn’t hire lobbyists to come in — the last administration you saw lobbyists come in, write the rules, write the laws, then go back to their jobs in industry. That is not going on right now. This is a profound change.” (CNN’s “State Of The Union,” 10/30/11)

But Obama Has Kept The Revolving Door Moving

President Obama Has Granted Numerous Exceptions To His Lobbyist Ban. “Yet in the past few days, a number of exceptions have been granted, with the administration conceding at least two waivers and that a handful of other appointees will recuse themselves from dealing with matters on which they lobbied within the two-year window.” (Kenneth P. Vogel & Mike Allen, “Obama Finds Room For Lobbyists,” Politico, 1/30/09) 

Politifact: “We Rate Obama’s ‘Revolving Door’ Policy For Former Lobbyists His Biggest Broken Promise.” (Angie Drobnic Holan, “Not So Fast On Obama Revolving Door Policy,” Politifact, 1/23/09)

Politifact Rated Obama’s Promise To Bar Lobbyists From His Administration As “Broken.” “We rated that one a Promise Broken because his policy has substantial loopholes that have allowed Obama to essentially decide when he wants to ignore the rule. He’s right that on his first day in office, he signed an executive order to bar lobbyists from his administration. But the order also included a loophole — a ‘waiver’ clause that allows former lobbyists to serve. Waivers are granted by the administration itself, so they are little more than the administration saying it’s okay for the lobbyist to work for the administration.” (“Obama Says Lobbyists Have Been Excluded From Policy-Making Jobs,” Politifact, 10/7/11)

• “Another Provision Allows Lobbyists To Serve If They Agree To Recuse Themselves From Discussions Related To Their Former Jobs.” (“Obama Says Lobbyists Have Been Excluded From Policy-Making Jobs,” Politifact, 10/7/11)
• “What About Those Recusals We Mentioned Earlier? The Administration Has Not Made Public How Many Of These Have Been Issued.” (“Obama Says Lobbyists Have Been Excluded From Policy-Making Jobs,” Politifact, 10/7/11)
   

The Center For Responsive Politics Finds Over 300 Individuals In The Obama Administration Who Have Been Through The Revolving Door, With 98 Individuals Who Are Current Or Former Registered Lobbyists. (Center For Responsive Politics, Opensecrets.org, Accessed 10/7/11)

Obama Has Kept The Revolving Door Open For His Campaign As Well

Obama Hired Former Lobbyist Broderick Johnson As A Senior Advisor On His 2012 Campaign. “President Obama’s reelection campaign has hired a former lobbyist to serve as a senior adviser to the 2012 team. The Obama campaign announced Monday the hiring of Broderick Johnson, a veteran of the Clinton White House and Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) 2004 presidential campaign.”(Kevin Bogardus, “Obama Campaign Brings On Ex-Lobbyist As Senior Advisor,” The Hill, 10/24/11)

• Broderick Johnson Directed The Lobbying Efforts Of Bryan Cave LLP Where He Represented Verizon And Shell Oil. “Broderick Johnson, a friend and informal political adviser, heads up the lobbying arm in Washington of the Bryan Cave LLP law firm, where he represents Verizon and Shell Oil, among other clients.” (Mary Jacoby, “Obama Campaign Enlists Lobbyists,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/08)
• Broderick Johnson Was a Registered Lobbyist On The Keystone Pipeline Account. “Broderick Johnson, a former Bryan Cave LLP lobbyist registered on the Keystone XL account, reported lobbying President Obama’s legislative affairs staff in 2010, a post he’s familiar with, having served in the Clinton administration in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs from 1998-2000.” (Brendan DeMelle, Hillary Clinton’s Keystone XL Crony Lobbyists Problem,” The Huffington Post, 10/6/11)
• In 2008 Broderick Johnson Lobbied On Behalf Of Fannie Mae And Bank Of America. (Center For Responsive Politics, opensecrets.org, Accessed 10/24/11)

AXELROD STAYS ON TALKING POINTS SAYING OBAMA LOBBYIST BAN ONLY APPLIES TO “FEDERAL LOBBYISTS”
 

Watch Axelrod’s Comments Here 

CNN’s Candy Crowley:  “Without taking away anything he’s done in this score, would you concede that you have people who are bundlers and who are raising money for President Obama that, by the definition of the word lobbyist, are in fact federal lobbyists?”

Axelrod:  “Well, I mean I’d have to run through the list of people who were there and I don’t know the answer. What I do know –” 

Crowley: “It’s possible though.”

Axelrod:  “– this administration has been more scrupulous and more transparent than any administration in history.”

Crowley: “And also promised not have federal lobbyists raise money for them. That’s why we’re having this conversation.”

Axelrod:  “We promised not take contributions from federal lobbyists and we don’t take contributions from federal lobbyists.”

Crowley: “That are registered.” (CNN’s “State Of The Union,” 10/30/11)

But The Ban Doesn’t Apply To Raising Millions From Bundlers Who Make A Living On K Street

Obama Is Ignoring His Pledge To Not Take Money From Lobbyists, Raising Millions From “Prominent Supporters Who Are Active In The Lobbying Industry.” “Despite a pledge not to take money from lobbyists, President Obama has relied on prominent supporters who are active in the lobbying industry to raise millions of dollars for his re-election bid.” (Eric Lichtblau, “Obama Backers Tied To Lobbies Raise Millions,” The New York Times, 10/27/11)

Obama’s 2012 Bundler List “Features A Number Of People Involved In The Business Of Influencing Government.” “A list of Obama’s own top fundraisers features a number of people involved in the business of influencing government, including the head of a lobbying and public relations firm, the corporate executive who oversees Comcast’s lobbying efforts and the chairwoman of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s political action committee, among others.” (Michael Scherer, “No Registered Lobbyists Among Top Obama Fundraisers, But Influence Seekers Abound,” Time’s “Swampland,” 7/20/11)

• “Their Contributions Are Accepted, However, As Long As They Hire Other People To Make Most Of The Person-To-Person Contacts With Federal Officials.” (Michael Scherer, “No Registered Lobbyists Among Top Obama Fundraisers, But Influence Seekers Abound,” Time’s “Swampland,”  7/20/11)

At Least 15 Of Obama’s Bundlers Are In The Lobbying Industry And Have Raised Over $5 Million For Obama’s Reelection Campaign. “At least 15 of Mr. Obama’s ‘bundlers’ — supporters who contribute their own money to his campaign and solicit it from others — are involved in lobbying for Washington consulting shops or private companies. They have raised more than $5 million so far for the campaign.” (Eric Lichtblau, “Obama Backers Tied To Lobbies Raise Millions,” The New York Times, 10/27/11)

Obama Gets Around His Own Rule Because The Bundlers Are Not Registered With The Senate. “Because the bundlers are not registered as lobbyists with the Senate, the Obama campaign has managed to avoid running afoul of its self-imposed ban on taking money from lobbyists.” (Eric Lichtblau, “Obama Backers Tied To Lobbies Raise Millions,” The New York Times, 10/27/11)

• “But Registered Or Not, The Bundlers Are In Many Ways Indistinguishable From People Who Fit The Technical Definition Of A Lobbyist.” (Eric Lichtblau, “Obama Backers Tied To Lobbies Raise Millions,” The New York Times, 10/27/11)

The Bundlers Show The Obama Ethics Policies Do Not Match The “On-The-Ground Practices.” “But the prevalence of major Obama fund-raisers who also work in the lobbying arena threatens to undercut the president’s ethics push, raising questions about whether the campaign’s policies square with its on-the-ground practices, some of those same watchdogs say.” (Eric Lichtblau, “Obama Backers Tied To Lobbies Raise Millions,” The New York Times, 10/27/11)

Or Their State Counterparts

Obama Has Accepted Money From Alex Baloga, A Self-Declared “Lobbyist” Who Works For Greenlee Partners, LLC, A Pennsylvania Based Lobbying Firm With Offices In Washington D.C. (Federal Election Commission, fec.gov, Accessed 7/18/11; “Our Firm, Greenlee Partners, Accessed 7/20/11)

• And Bob Burke, An “Attorney/Lobbyist” At Bob Burke & Company Ltd, A Lobbying Firm Centered In California. (Federal Election Commission, fec.gov, Accessed 7/18/11; “”Your Voice In California,” Burkela.com, Accessed 7/20/11)

In March 2011, The DNC Accepted A Contribution From Soyla Fernandez, A Self Described State Lobbyist Employed By Fernandez Government Solutions In California. (Federal Election Commission, fec.gov, Accessed 7/20/11)

In January 2011, The DNC Accepted A Contribution From James Patrick O’Neill, A Self Employed “Tax Consultant/State lobbyist” In New Mexico.(Federal Election Commission, fec.gov, Accessed 7/20/11)

And Does Not Apply To Obama’s Super PAC

“Super-Loophole For Lobbyists” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama Fundraising Targets Very Large, Very Small Donors,” The Washington Post, 8/3/11)

 “Attention, Democratic Lobbyists: You Now Have A Way To Give Money To Aid President Obama’s Reelection Effort.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama Fundraising Targets Very Large, Very Small Donors,” The Washington Post, 8/3/11)

Former Obama Officials Set Up A Super PAC That Is Accepting Lobbyists’ Contributions Towards Obama’s Reelection Effort. “Now a super PAC formed by two former Obama administration officials is working to further the Obama campaign and ready to accept your money.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama Fundraising Targets Very Large, Very Small Donors,” The Washington Post, 8/3/11)

The Former Obama Officials Hold “No Objections To Using The Money To Help A President Who Spurns It.” “Priorities USA founder Bill Burton, who served as the national press secretary for Obama’s 2008 campaign, says the group has no objections to using the money to help a president who spurns it. ‘We decided we were going to play by the exact same rules as Karl Rove and the Koch brothers and not let them have any advantages in this election cycle,’ Burton said.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama Fundraising Targets Very Large, Very Small Donors,” The Washington Post, 8/3/11)