All posts tagged "Lobbyists"

MILWAUKEE — An open secret about national conventions: the real action is often outside the convention hall, blocks or even miles away from where a political party will formally nominate its presidential candidate.

And this week in tony restaurants, trendy bars, hotel ballrooms and entertainment venues across Milwaukee, corporate lobbyists, megadonors and conservative advocacy organizations will engage in the age-old tradition of using money to influence politics.

The more money you have, the more access you can buy....

Are you a lobbyist itching for a fishing trip with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), the top Republican on the powerful Senate Finance Committee?

How about skiing and face time with Crapo?

For years, Crapo has brazenly given donors to his political action committee a veritable menu for the access that their money can buy....

WASHINGTON — Just before Democrat Bob Casey entered the U.S. Senate a political generation ago, he railed at his incumbent Republican opponent, Rick Santorum, for selling himself out to lobbyists.

“You’ve been the Senate liaison to K Street, which is a mess, which is a place of corruption and influence peddling,” Casey said in a 2006 debate with Santorum. “And you spend a lot of time on K Street and you’ve been spending a lot of time with people that practice the politics of influence peddling on K Street.”

Fast forward to the present and Casey finds himself preparing for a closely-watched — and expensive — election battle against wealthy former hedge fund CEO David McCormick. ...