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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Michael Isikoff and Time Magazine's Michael Scherer discuss the ways the GOP convention is bowing to its mega-donors – and new poll numbers that show Mitt Romney trailing badly among the middle class.
The method: Set up a consulting firm to throw your party and honor your favorite members of Congress. Then sell "sponsorships" to the event for as much as $50,000 a pop, thereby allowing lobbyists and their corporate clients to party it up – and curry favor – with lawmakers just as they always have.
Consider a late-night soiree Monday for members of the House and Senate transportation committees. Its official host — as in a Tuesday night "Boots on the Bay" party for the Oklahoma delegation and a Wednesday night “On the Dock by the Bay” party for the congressional “western caucus” – is an obscure entity named “GOP Convention Strategies.”
Who’s behind it? A team of top GOP fundraisers, consultants and lobbyists, including Rick Shelby, an executive vice president of the American Gas Association, according to a list of principals on the firm’s website.
Calling the GOP convention “a tremendous opportunity to sell your ideas” [and] “highlight your issues,” the firm is offering corporate clients multi-level sponsorships for its convention events (“platinum,” “gold” and “silver,” according to one invite) with “prominent billing and signage” or “generous billing and signage” depending on which level is purchased.
Shelby and other principals of GOP Convention Strategies did not respond to multiple messages. But the firm (which has a sister company set up for next week’s Democratic convention that also includes top D.C. lobbyists) is part of a new phenomenon that is on display at this year’s conventions, allowing a veritable orgy of “influence peddling,” says Craig Holman, a lawyer who has long tracked lobbying and ethics issues for Public Citizen, the D.C.-based watchdog group.
“I would call these pop-up front companies,” says Holman of the new party consultng firms. “Their whole purpose is to sponsor parties at the conventions that otherwise might be in violation of congressional ethics restrictions. … This is a brand new wrinkle. I’ve never seen this before.”
The problem for the lobbying firms, according to Holman, is the “Honest Leadership and Open Government Act,” a sweeping reform measure enacted by Congress in 2007 in the aftermath of the conviction of Jack Abramoff in a highly publicized lobbying scandal. It included a rule that forbids members of Congress from “participating” in any lobbyist-sponsored convention “event” that honors them or where they are the “special guest.” (The excesses didn’t begin with Abramoff, of course. As Holman noted a recent memo, at the 2004 Democratic convention, media companies seeking legislation before Congress threw a $300,000 “Caribbean Beach Bash” for then-Sen. John Breaux, a leading advocate of media interests who left Congress the next year to become … a lobbyist.)
As a practical matter, the lobbyist convention rule has already been weakened through a House Ethics Committee interpretation saying that the ban only applies to parties that honor individual members, not groups of members. Although the Senate Ethics Committee has issued tighter restrictions, the House ruling has opened the door to collective parties such as one this week honoring the “Congressional Yacht Caucus” or the events being thrown by GOP Convention Strategies.
And there are plenty of other examples of big D.C. lobbying interests staging lavish bashes for lawmakers and delegates here in Tampa this week. On tabs for tonight: “Celebrate the Spirits of Tampa,” sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Realtors. On Thursday night, “Vote4energy”—a group set up by the American Petroleum Institute—is throwing a “Fueling the Future” bash. And not to be outdone, Google – in partnership with “YG Network,” a group set up by former aides to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor — is throwing an “American Innovation” bash at the Tampa Museum of Art.
The net rule, says Holman, is that the reforms of 2007 are perilously close to being out the window. As he wrote in a memo on the eve of the two party conventions, its “lobbyists gone wild.”
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus speaks to delegates during an abbreviated session the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.
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It all begins and would end with a strong campaign reform. But who is willing to give up the megamillions? No one. As bad as it is, those who run for office are the very people who have to count on those "donations" for their campaign. Without them, they would not fair well.
Those who are rich enough to chin the bill woujld be the only ones running.
Campaign reform.....that is where to start.
Why can't any person who gets "x" number of signatures on their petition get on the ballot for their race (presidential, house/senate, state house and senate, mayoral, etc) with "y" number of televised debates and "z" number of federally provided dollars to spend on their campaign...No more political donations; lobbying with dollars or dinner or free construction on a politician's lake house could then be illegal...
Does anyone believe a system like this wouldn't produce better policy proposals from both sides of the aisle?
Give up. The final nail in the coffin was the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens' United that CORPORATIONS have a fundamental/protected right to free speech guaranteed by the Constitution. That absolutely floored me and means that it would now require an amendment to the Constitution to reign in.
Seriously, what moron would believe that it makes sense that a corporation is equivalent to a human being and should have Constitutionally protected rights vs. legislated rights. (I'm not saying they shouldn't have rights, I am saying those rights should be legislated).
Boy on the corner, "Government for sale, get your government for sale".
0bama was a community organizer aka lobbyist.
lets talk about that. What interest group was he representing?
America has been bought and paid for. Government by the rich, for the rich.
Yeah, let's talk about that!
Or let's talk about baseball!
Or growing championship roses!
Anything except who Romney really is!!!
Uhhhhhhh.He was representing poor people, that darn commie!!!
And the Republicans are making their case very clear. THEIR SORRY CONVENTION IS FOR THE LOBYISTS, NOT FOR THE PEOPLE. It is a whoring COnvention, looking to prostitute themselves to the BIGGEST BIDERS.
All of THE "Entrepeneurs" are multimillionaires that INHERITED THEIR MONEY, AND THEY ARE USING IT TO PURCHASE THE COUNTRY VIA CORRUPT POLITICIANS.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/politics/for-big-givers-sideshow-tops-the-party-tent.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120826
Of course! I hope that they give gas masks to all the people that attend their sorry party. They will need them. They have NO REGARD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT,and they prefer to crash into a free party, instead of thinking about the seriousness of the environmental crisis in the world.
Many people in Tampa are wondering what the h*** is Romney doing in their town.
The people should note the names of every one of the incumbents and candidates that attend one of these lobbyist parties.
Than throw the bums out of office or keep them out.
If any of them actually have ethics they would speak out against this.
money, money, money, money, muuuuuunnny! muuuuuunnny! That's all Politicians of all stripes are about.
Until we stop this madness we will keep getting what we got... Wall St Bankers and their ilk care nothing about the rest of the 99%
Citizen's United + politics as usual = bend over America
I hope Democrats don't allow this to crap to happen at their convention this year, but they are the ones that have to choose not to participate. Both parties have been culpable in the past, but its time one party decides it is going to work to help real Americans, not just the 1%. If you are a republican and you are not in the 1%, put your religious views aside and ask yourself if this is the party you would vote for. This is a disgusting display of arrogance on the republicans part, but if democrats do the same thing this year, they are no better.
You're not peddling "individual freedom" if you're just selling your country to the highest bidder.
These guys give whores a bad name. In fact calling them whores is insulting to all the hard working whores out there.
I have no doubt that the founding fathers must be turning in their graves over
and over after seeing what this country has become.
All of their efforts to precisely break away from the despots of
England, and here we are again, full circle 236 yrs later!
Truly amazing.
The Supreme Court 5 need to be impeached for violating the Separation of Powers Clause and creating entirely new law in Citizens United, selling democracy to the plutocrats.
This is NOT MY AMERICA.
This will truly never end. As long as there is government, there will be individuals and groups of people (including "corporate" people) who want to meet with law makers and influence them to make laws in their favor.
The British, back before the United States were founded, had the British East India Tea Company. Amazing what a private company, with its own private army, can do with the tacit approval of the legislature and the government.
What amazes me is the outright graft and corruption the majority of people in Congress must be doing. I would like an honest explanation of how a person who has spent most of their lives working for the government can become a millionaire without committing some kind of act which for anyone else would be a crime. While there are a few (Sen. Kerry, Sen. McCain, even Rep. Ryan) whose spouse inherited their wealth, you have to wonder about the others.
A change to the Constitution making the elections funded publicly, would not eliminate the problem.
"Washington lobbyists have devised a nifty new technique to bypass pesky ethics rules that were supposed to bar them from throwing lavish convention parties for lawmakers."
So what I'm getting from this is that lobbyists know what they are doing is unethical if not immoral. Nice going you bunch of greedy slimy bastards. Not sure how lobbyists sleep at night but then without a conscience I imagine it can happen. These guys are dancing with the devil to the eventual ruin of our country.
Someone needs to stand up!
Well the devil is dancing does that count?
Folks, there is "Pavillion" named after the wife of Adelson. What has this WOMAN DONE for the poor, THE OLD, the disabled or the sick? NOTHING
They are honoring her a**** just because she is rich.
Romney is the SERVANT OF THE Tea Party, and he is WILLING to do WHATEVER IT TAKES, JUST TO SATISFY HIS EGOTISTICAL DESIRE OF BEING PRESIDENT.
I think its time for a little American civil disobedience. Tax payers support this garbage both directly and indirectly, but we get nothing but a slap in the face in return. Since we aren't rich enough to buy the amount of politicians we need to run this country, I say we all don't pay our taxes this year at all. It would be ugly and it would hurt this country's budget, but if 25% or more of this country's residents and businesses decided to not pay taxes, they could never lock us all up and they sure as hell couldn't prosecute everyone. Even if they did, without jobs and homes, what else of monetary value can they take from us? By seeing this crap take place without even the decency of keeping it behind closed doors, the only thing left they can strip from us is our pride in America. This is not the America our founding fathers wanted and its not the America that our ancestors have fought, worked, and died for! Time to stop paying the piper and stop paying our taxes to support these a$$holes!!!
Read the online article on Chris Hedges in TRUTHOUT. The only thing left for the 99% is the next American Revolution.
Republican Conventions are: Of the Elite, By the Elite, and For the Elite. Vote the elitists out of office. They have no idea of what Mainstream is like. They think the "You people", or the "Little People" are not of any important significance. Time to show them differently! Ya think!?!
It isn't just the Republicans. You won't find anything different at the Democratic Convention.
I'm a liberal. I want to make sure the top 1% aren't stacking the cards against the rest of us, but let's call out the Democrats too. They make a pretense of helping the little guy but that's about all it is. They too siphon off money to Big Business and the wealthy. They too are in it for the power and wealth.
You're all spot on, but don't give either party a free ride. Your rights are being taken away by both. The Democrats are just a bit more stealthy about it.
Sleuth23: "Since we aren't rich enough to buy the amount of politicians we need to run this country, I say we all don't pay our taxes this year at all."
That would be nice but unfortunately they are very slick. They take the tax before you even get your paycheck. Politicians are greasy, really greasy
Anytime there is a new wrinkle, then fix the problem.
Except no one that is capable of solving the problem does anything to solve it.
The GOP have been growing Million Dollar$$ Lobbyists like corn this year - too bad the Republican Harvest in November will be poor (thanks to Mother Nature, Seniors, & Women Voters).
You forgot blacks and latinos.
...and gays and their families and friends and anyone not yet mentioned who has common sense and can't be "bought" or driven away from the polls with any of these new "voter suppression laws".
...and former republicans that can no longer stomach this bs!
Except that Romney is still going to beat the moron that holds the office now. How can that be with nobody voting for him (according to you and all the
whinersliberals on this site)? Hussein is in Colorado again this week preaching to the college students. His strategy is to get them to change the registration from their home state to Colorado so they can undermine the will of the permanent residents of this state.Colorado-Man: the students should be voting where they live, just as everyone should be doing. While you may not like the idea, because that means that intelligent, thinking people are actually using their brains to vote (which leads to no Republicans ever getting elected,) it does mean that the people vote for the place where most of them will end up living their lives.
Dirp - If they do change their residency to vote, then their parents are not supposed to claim them as dependents on their tax returns. Do you think that is happening? And if you think that a bunch of immature 18-20 somethings are able to understand the economic and political issues facing our country (especially after being influenced their entire lives by union-based teachers and now socialists like Ward Churchill) then you need to educate yourself. Then no Democrats will ever be elected.
Exactly how hard is it to write legislation that simply states that no lobbying is allowed during the time of the conventions?
morlack
That is the point of the story. They don't call them self's lobbyist now. They are consults. I call them @#$%^&*&^ ò¿ó
No lobbying should EVER be allowed. I don't get to lobby. Do you? Why should a business get to buy influence because it has millions of dollars to give away? Why should a business get to tell us all what to do and what to think? It will pump it's workers full of toxins while smiling and telling them things are fine, it will skirt, evade and twist any regulation it can. Business is not on your side unless you are one of the ultra wealthy, entitled people at the top.
Is that really who you want driving the decisions made by your government?
You really don't understand the US Constitution, specifically the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
That's why it can't be outlawed and the basis for the Citizens United decision. The premise of that decision was that Congress could not curb the free speech rights of a group of people.
Changing the law would require a Constitutional amendment.
mj: actually, you can "lobby" or go to your congressman and ask for whatever you want done. It is a right guaranteed you in the Constitution. A lobbyist is simply someone who is paid to present a position or petition on behalf of another person, group, government or company. They often meet with the legislator in the lobby of the legislative building, while the legislator is going from room to room, thus the term was coined.
Maybe we, as American citizens, should pitch in and create the "mother of all lobbies" that actually represents we the pions. Lobbying pretty much makes our votes meaningless and I see no other way to actually be heard in congress. Our supposed congressmen and women feed us the same line each election time but once voted in they pretty much ignore us and pander to the lobbies.
dirp: "mj: actually, you can "lobby" or go to your congressman and ask for whatever you want done."
True but if your not bringing a big bag of money your words will fall on deaf ears. That's the unfair advantage lobbiests have.
Govrnment by the rich, for the rich. The rest of us are screwed. At least the Democrats actions show they have a conscience.
Republican Dinners are: Of the elite, By the Elite, and For the Elite. And the rest of "you people" (according to Romney's spouse) can get lost, and do as you are told. Otherwise, you don't need to know our business or what taxes we pay. It's about time all the "You People" show the snits what and who counts the most. Head for the voting booths and let them know what "Voter Suppression " means to the real working class, who is tired of eating their left over scraps on the streets.
WTH have you been observing over the last three years of Hussein's reign? He's done inordinate amounts of fundraising from the rich. Plus giving favors in return (see Exelon, Solyndra, GM as examples).
What interest group was he representing?
Obama represents the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Barry Soetoro also supports Marxism and believes in socialistic order.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, like you read about it somewhere in a reputable newspaper!
top
Who does the gop represents beside grover norquit? A lobbyist.
The Supreme Court has given permission to the rich in this country to BID FOR THE COUNTRY. THE LOBBYIST ARE DESCENDING INTO fLORIDA LIKE THE VULTURES THAT THEY ARE: Oil "Entrepeneurs"like the Koch brothers have Mitt Romney bought and ready to evaporate all the regulations of the EPA, to frack and drill for oil, even on his a** if there happens to be oil there.
Newt Gingrich badmouthed Mitt ROmney for being a "vulture Capitalists", but now he is in line to be a speaker "praising"Mitt Romney. He CONSTANTLY speak on both sides of his mouth, and has only kissing a**s words for Romney.
Topdumb...
I doubt you've ever read the work of Marx or Engels, as you would note they are 100% right about what is now occurring in this country. Since you won't go read any of their works, I provided a link to the cliff notes below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism
Face it Topdumb, you are not a qualified member of the bourgeoisie.....
Now go do your homework before you confuse your opinions with facts again.
Oh don't be so hard on the percussive one. TopDrum's just giving our comment boards some much-needed absurd humor!
...right, TopDrum? You didn't, uh...mean any of that silly and completely false nonsense, no? Please say you did not, for the sake of our sanities and yours...
People point fingers at 3rd world leaders for skimming off the money for their own use. I believe that may be more honest than the way the politicians in this country are being bought off. Thru laws and other money laundering schemes, it's just become harder to track the money directly to the politicians. At least 3rd world leaders are more honest about it.
Newt Gingrich keeps on saying that Mitt was making "A joke" while he drills President Obama about his birth certificate. New Gingrich and Romney continue saying that Obama is the "WELFARE PRESIDENT " And they keep on wondering why they can't reach to blacks!!!!!
Why would Mitt say that Obama will give welfare checks to people if they vote for him. Newt really needs to build his lunar station. THE FAT A**** IS A lunatic.
I knew him and his best friend in Georgia. They are both sociopaths.
Lunartic
Foolish fools making this about one party or the other. This lobbying effort represents the TRUE danger to the US. Have we forgotten the Jack Abramoff, Bob Ney, Tom Delay, Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist lobbying scandal already?
MONEY in politics = No governance for WE THE PEOPLE but only for those who can afford to "buy" political influence.
Norquist's only requirement is a candidate who has enough working digits to hold a pen to sign the bills and laws he wants signed! He is riding high, because he got two candidates with working digits that will sign what he wants them to sign! Oh Happy Day!
We can all thank our idiots in the Supreme Court .These creeps, lobbyist and billionaires are using money and not votes as we do. They are buying politicians by the billions of dollars. Tell me how screwed up things are now because of our Supreme Court. You would have to be an idiot, to think these people care of American needs.
I sit here blogging because I have one vote. While these creeps are buying America.
Supreme Court is put in place by the president.
Barack Obama could change the make-up of the Supreme Court with a wave of a pen. He has the power to change the number of justices. It's been done before. It was done in the early 20th Century, last.
mj - nothing could be further from the truth.
The president can appoint a supreme court judge...only when the retire.
They are lifetime appointments.
He cannot force out a judge.
Another thing.
Because of the voter ID law in swing states....and the unavaidable "provision" ballots that will be cast.....these provisionals will be held as valid or not by the supreme court, just as in FL in 2004.
Once the election is over I predict months of lawsuits on both sides and the winner will be court decided.
This in itself takes away the election for the people, by the people and hands it to the conservative supreme court.
All I can say is thanks Republicans...you managed to destroy 200 plus years of Democracy.
Believe me, don't believe me....I really don't care...but remember my words and see if they do not become true.
America.....Right now what we have been doing is Obviously NOT WORKING so Refuse to Reward Wall Streets Corrupted Incumbents with Re-Election be they Democrat or Republican!
So why keep Re-Electing any of these UN American Failures?
POMPOUS Obama signed the extension of the Parrot Act after Promising US THAT HE WOULD NOT and now TSA Roams the Streets of America buying Billions of Rounds of Jacketed Hollow Point Bullets with OUR NAME ON THEM while their DRONES Spy into our Bedrooms!
SOooo Back Door Barry turns out to Actually the Greater of the Two Evils....Doesn't he? So now is time for US to Focus Our Outrage at those Wall Street Banksters and their Political Puppets by demanding REAL CHANGE instead of Business As Usual!
On a National Level the Wall Street Owned Game of Partisan Politics Their Players are Rigged to be Interchangeable between Democrat & Republican and we also know they can now Literally get away with Murdering American Citizens without Trial as der Further Obama has proved at least Three Times (that we know of)!
But that doesn't mean on a Personal Level we shouldn't still Throw ALL OF the Liars Out! If we Throw the Incumbents Out often enough then perhaps we will find a MLK RDR JFK or even a DEE in the new bunch! Persons with Honor instead of FEAR!
And so when it comes to der Further Obama finger pointing nonsense please repeat after me....ZEG HELL NO!
What three people?
MUW
Lob-sided in your arguments much? You would throw out an incumbent to elect this trash to take its place? Explain how that changes things for the betterment of our country?
FYI...its not "Further" its "Furher". You can't even excel at being at idiot MUW. Try to pull your head out of your ass before speaking....otherwise all we hear are just sounds muddled by $hit.
The pigs always find their way back to the taxpayer trough.
Facts: The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee do not accept contributions from federally registered lobbyist.
Romney takes money from 748 Washington Lobbyist.
Which President would you say, is bought out?
It's America, us little people that's losing the America we use to know--vote your choice
Bend over it's the Elephant and Donkey show.
Did you really think the Democratic and Republican parties would let their money slip away without building in some loopholes?
And to the Koch brothers and billionaires: whose money will it be?. Remember the rich man and Lazarus in the Bible.
The Republican Party has persistently been on the wrong side of history. They opposed Social Security. They opposed Civil Rights. They opposed Medicare.
They NOW oppose Healthcare Reform. They oppose Gay Marriage Equality. They Oppose the Dream Act. They Oppose Women's Reproductive Rights.
Perhaps this November, American Voters will resoundingly oppose the Republican Party.
Mitt & Ryan, the "Radical Right Wing Vulture Capitalists". It's time for the "You People" to show them the exit door.
The only thing that makes a great leader is a nation of people whom stand behind their president when he listens and acts. If you want lobbyist done for, then take it to Congress and the president. You have to show up in mass protest. You have to as a nation set your foot down and tell Washington enough is enough. You have to SHOW UP! Bang on the door!
I would gladly join in a massive gathering at the steps of Congress...when does this gathering begin?
Sugar Daddy wants a return on his investment. Romney didn't spend any of his own millions this time around. Why not? Not interested in betting on a losing ticket? Maybe Romney took his 40 million and put them on Obama (secretly and off-shore, of course). I wouldn't put it past him. He knows a good deal when he sees one. The Bain brain still works, even if he's "officially" not in charge anymore.
London bookies have the odds at 15:8 for Obama to win. That's not a bad return on a TAX FREE investment!
That's an amusing conspiracy theory.
It is way past time for publicly funded campaigns. You get x number dollars and that's it. Everybody gets the same. No lobbyists no pacs NO MORE
Those voter suppression efforts could backfire. Millions of seniors without drivers licenses will be affected. Isn't that pretty much the only demographic favoring Romney? Florida won't have a "hanging chads" problem in 2012...they'll have a problem of registered Republican Seniors being turned away for indufficient ID.
Put the Sunshine State in the BLUE column!
Business buying the politicians and the politicians working only for business to line there own pockets. They do not work for the people of the United States any more.
What is so silly, and they can't seem to get, it is that without a working america, there isn't a military to support and protect their money! Maybe they think they have enough to pay for that 49% of the budget without the rest of us! Oh well! Not my problem.
Fixing this will require a constitutional amendment and that isn't going to happen with the current crew in Washington - both sides of the aisle.
Wouldn't it be great if Americans made a quiet pact amongst ourselves - two terms and you are out. No matter what position you are in, no matter what office you hold. Legislators are never going to impose this on themselves and until they do there will be no significant change to how we sell position and power in this country.
Since the turn of the century, the SCOTUS has appointed a President and handed power to money, taking it away from the citizenry. Who would have thought that the ultimate guardians of the Constitution would author its demise?
No lobbyists will attend DNC?? Hope the story gets the same press. We are the government, nothing will change until we do.
The vast middle class gets to choose between 2 or 3 candidates chosen by the rich. The rich choose who can run and who cant.
Nothing wrong with lobbyist ..The problem is the law allows them to contribute $$$$$ to politicians.Let them lobby but take the money off the table. Naturally,the SC would rule in favor of the money going to politicians.