Stop Stealth Lobbying:
Close the 20 percent loophole and ensure
that all who are paid to lobby register and
report as lobbyists
Lisa Rosenberg
Influence
Disclosure
Are you a lobbyist?
• Do you make more than $3,000 over
three months from lobbying?
• Have you had more than 1 lobbying
contact?
• Have you spent more than 20% of your
time lobbying for a single client over
three months?
Get rid of the 20% rule
20 % Rule
Tom Daschle
“Right now, anyone who says
they don’t clear the 20 percent
threshold doesn’t have to
register, a provision some
insiders even call ‘the Daschle
exemption.’” – Politico,
7/26/2010
•
DLA Piper, his employer since
2009, made almost $40 million
lobbying between 2009 and
2012
George Allen
•
“George Allen Strategies is a
recognized leader in helping clients
navigate the waters inside – and
outside – the Beltway.” –
www.georgeallenstrategies.com
• “There are plenty of people
in the political-influence
industry who do all they
can to keep from having a
big old scarlet letter L sewn
into their suit…” – Dave
Levinthal, Center for
Responsive Politics.
David Obey
• Has worked at the Gephardt
Group since 2011
• The Gephardt group made
$9.3 million lobbying since
2011
“Former lawmakers who understand the
appropriations process are highly valued,
especially someone as wired and influential
as Obey…other former appropriators have
been in demand on K street recently.” –
Politico, 6/3/2011
Newt Gingrich
• Worked as a “consultant” for
Freddie Mac between 2001 and
2010
• Freddie Mac spent $100 million on
lobbying between 1997 and 2012
“The technicalities are a bit arcane and
muddied. Gingrich never officially
registered himself as a lobbyist, but he
did meet with elected officials to talk
about legislation related to Freddie
Mac.” – ABC News, 1/24/2012
Byron Dorgan
• Co-chair of law and
lobbying firm Arent
Fox’s Government
Relations Practice
• Arent Fox has made
$3.8 million lobbying
since 2011.
Chris Dodd
“No Lobbying, no lobbying.” Chris
Dodd, The Connecticut Mirror,
9/30/2010
•
•
Current employer, the MPAA,
spent $3.3 million lobbying in the
past two years
“Hollywood’s chief lobbyist” – The
LA Times, 1/17/2012
“The purpose of our lobbying laws is to tell the
public who is being paid how much to lobby whom
on what.”
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), 1992
For more information on closing the 20 percent
loophole and other ways to reform our lobbying
disclosure system visit
www.sunlightfoundation.com/policy/lobbying.
Contact Lisa:
lrosenberg@sunlightfoundation.com
@sunlightonhill