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Lords handed out passes to lobbyists PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

An analysis conducted by the Financial Times shows that the House of Lords gives access to lobbyists under a scheme meant for genuine researchers or secretaries:

Lord McNally, leader of the Lib Dems in the Lords, told the FT he was “shocked” by the extent to which external organisations had passes.

“The process of giving out passes which are supposed to be for bona fide researchers or secretaries should stop,” he said.

 

 
The way forward on lobbying PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

Tom Griffin, 28 January 2009

With Labour peers facing growing scrutiny over cash for laws revelations, the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency couldn't have hoped for a more propitious backdrop for its meeting at Westminster this morning.

Among the speakers were MPs Kelvin Hopkins and Gordon Prentice of the Public Administration Select Committee, which has made the case for a register of lobbyists in its report Lobbying: Access and Influence in Whitehall.

Read more...
 
Spousal Ties to Lobbying Test a Vow From Obama PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

The New York Times point to a problem for President-elect  Obama's  new lobbying rules:

Mr. Obama’s selection of Mr. Daschle and Ms. Browner to high-level positions illustrates a potential loophole in his pledge of keeping special interests at a distance.

The ethics code that Mr. Obama imposed on his transition team takes a hard line against lobbyists.

People are disqualified from working on any matters they lobbied about within the past year, and currently registered federal lobbyists are barred from playing a significant role — regardless of the issues they lobby about. But Mr. Obama’s embrace of Mr. Daschle and his presumed choice of Ms. Browner suggest that he will take a softer line on lobbying by the spouses of the officials in his administration.

 

 
For Lobbyists, No Downturn, Just a Turnover PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

Lobbyists may be find work harder to come by under the upcoming Obama administration. The New York Times is being open about what they do and why they will be hard to shift:

For an industry that prefers to talk about selling policy expertise and sophisticated arguments, the turnabout is a stark reminder that what clients want are personal connections. “People who need to get something done know what the price of a drink is,” Mr. Metzger said. “This may sound terribly Washington, but access trumps expertise.”

and:

Republican lobbyists would always be in demand because Democrats lack the stomach to push for industry goals that go against their party, like rolling back environmental regulations.

 
Greens fume over lobbying PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

The European Voice reports on a set-back for the campaign to increase lobbying transparency in the EU:

Leader of the European Greens accuses the European Parliament's largest and “most lobbied” political groups of a stitch-up.

The European Parliament has decided to allow only MEPs from its three largest groups to take part in a review of rules governing the behaviour of lobbyists, a decision that drew immediate criticism from the leader of the Greens.

 

 
Obama acts to drive the lobbyists out of Washington PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

The Independent asks if Barack Obama can fulfill his ambition and keep the influence peddlers out of his administration:

The leader of Barack Obama's transition team has delivered some bad news to the hordes of lobbyists plying their trade in the fancy restaurants and faceless offices along Pennsylvania Avenue: they are not welcome.

John Podesta, the transition chief, has revealed a set of draconian new regulations aimed at curbing the excessive influence of lobbyists, as Mr Obama promised throughout his election campaign. They are to be denied their normal role of greasing the wheels of the new administration's costly transition to power by paying for office space and staff between now and the inauguration on 20 January.

 

 
Change, of a Limited Sort, Comes to K Street PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

PR Watch give a taste of how Wall Street see the US election changing the lobby effort:

"Washington's $3 billion lobbying industry has begun shedding Republican staffers, snapping up Democratic operatives and entire firms, a shift that started even before Tuesday's ballots were counted," reports the Wall Street Journal

 
AIG Freezes Bonuses, Questions Remain on Lobbying PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

PROPUBLICA report on the continuing public bailout of the financial industry:

This morning, the government unveiled its latest move: upping the AIG bailout to $150 billion.

 
How to lobby government effectively PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

In a Times article KPMG are advising that bribing politicians is no longer recommended. Progress?

Don’t offer a political donation, Mr Downey says. “It may have worked in the past, but in the current climate it’s more likely to backfire,” he added.

 
Brussels faces battle over lobbying register PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying
The Financial Times reports on continuing attempts to improve transparency in the EU:

Controversy over Brussels' efforts to set up an open register of lobbying in the European Union was rekindled yesterday when public interest and consumer groups said they would sign up, but using their own, stricter, guidelines.

 
Averting the Next Crisis PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying
Why transparency in lobbying matters

The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency invites you to a public
meeting on lobbying - 5th November, House of Commons.

It is widely accepted that the current financial crisis has been exacerbated by a lack of regulatory oversight. To what extent has this been caused by sustained lobbying and high level access to Government by the financial industry? In the context of this and other current political issues, such as airport expansion, nuclear and food policy, the debate will ask: Do we have a right to know who is lobbying Government? Would greater transparency in lobbying lead to more Government accountability? And should Parliamentarians have financial interests in lobbying firms? Come and share your views on these and other timely questions.

Chaired by: David Hencke, Westminster correspondent, The Guardian
Speakers
Robbie MacDuff, Chair, Association of Professional Political Consultants
Robert Siddall, CEO, Airport Operators Association
Peter Facey, Director, Unlock Democracy
Prof David Miller, Director, SpinWatch
Guido Fawkes, prominent Westminster blogger

6 -7pm, 5th November
Committee Room 6, House of Commons
Sponsor, John Grogan MP
www.lobbyingtransparency.org

Expect fireworks!
Please remember to leave enough time to pass through security

For more information: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
Freddie Mac secretly paid Republican firm to kill regulation PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying
The Associated Press report on the role of lobbying in preventing the introduction of meaningful financual regulation.
 
How affluence begets influence PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

Commenting on the Deripaska story the Guardian concludes that power is wielded by elites in a way that makes lobbying very hard to regulate.�

 
AIG suspends lobbying amid backlash PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying
AIG perform U-turn on lobbying expenditure. From the Financial Times, 21 October 2008.
 
Developing and regulating lobbying in the new EU countries PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying
Read the EurActiv website's report on a paper examining the development of the lobbying industry in the EU.
 
AIG continues lobbying despite bail-out PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

The Financial Times reports that AIG still feels the need to spend money lobbying Congress after the huge cash injection it received "because it was important for the company and its shareholders to keep tabs on legislative activities in Washington."

 

 
How Congress set the stage for a fiscal meltdown PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying
USA Today reports that a large part of the blame for the present financial crisis can be laid at the door of Congress: "Wall Street and the banking, insurance and real estate industries spent $3.2 billion on lobbying in the past decade"
 
Lobbying for War PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

Russia Profile, Andrei Tsygankov, 21/8/2008

The Anti-Russian Lobby in the United States Pushes for NATO’s Expansion Despite Russia’s Objections

Although the principal responsibility for Georgia’s recent attack on South Ossetia lies with Tbilisi, the United States shares the blame for the resulting violence in the region. Because of American political support, economic assistance and training of the Georgian military, Tbilisi felt emboldened in its adventurism. Now that Georgia is defeated and its powerful patron humiliated, it is important to ask what actions and statements by the United States sustained the level of support that Tbilisi read as sufficient to launch a military campaign in Russia’s backyard.

Read more...
 
Biden, Obama at odds over lobbyist donations PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

The Washington Times,

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama has made a pledge not to accept money from lobbyists, but his running mate - Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. - has collected over $200,000 from registered lobbyists in this year alone, according to a search of Senate lobbying records.

Mr. Biden's unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign and his still-pending race to be re-elected to the U.S. Senate in Delaware, according to the records, collected another $86,000 from lobbyists this year. The senator's political action committee, Unite Our States, also received $120,500 from lobbyists this year, the records show.

Read more...
 
Ordnance Survey hires PR company to lobby politicians PDF Print E-mail
Lobbying

 The Guardian reports:

An extraordinary picture of a state body carrying out political lobbying on the issue of free data has emerged from documents obtained by the Guardian.

The correspondence reveals that Ordnance Survey (OS) is targeting MPs from Westminster and devolved assemblies, civil servants and leading figures in the free data debate. The agency openly attends party conferences and other political events to promote the value of geographical data. However, earlier this year a Parliamentary question revealed that it had paid a company called Mandate £42,076.20 plus VAT since August 2007.

(Read more... Source: The Guardian, Michael Cross, 21/8/2008)


 
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