Post by blackcrowheart on Jan 29, 2006 19:44:40 GMT -5
Time Mag has 5 pix of Bush w/ Abramoff & Chair of TX Kickapoo Tribe
Lobbyists Connect With White House
(Bush Lied Jan 26 Regarding Lobbyists)
WASHINGTON, January 26, 2006 -
During today's news conference, President Bush was asked whether or not he
meets with lobbyists. His answer, "I try not to," did not paint a complete
picture.
While it remains to be seen whether the President personally associates with
lobbyists, it is abundantly clear that his White House has deep connections to
the lobbying industry. The Center for Public Integrity, an award winning,
investigative journalism non-profit organization, has uncovered a myriad of
personal, business and political ties between the Bush administration and K-Street.
For example:
Since 1998, more than 4,600 companies, trade associations and interest groups
have directly lobbied the 14 offices of the White House.
The Center found 52 registered lobbyists who were major fundraisers for the
Bush campaigns. The donations gathered by each fundraiser were tabulated with
"Solicitor Tracking Numbers" assigned by the campaigns-as a way to insure that
each fundraiser received due credit for the donations he or she collected.
Such tracking numbers appear on disclosure forms signed by lobbyists Wayne
Berman of Federalist Group, Thomas Loeffler of The Loeffler Group and David
Metzner of American Continental Group Inc., all of whom pledged to raise $250,000
for Bush.
Embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff raised $100,000 for Bush's 2004 campaign as
a Pioneer and represented 15 clients that were lobbying the White House,
including such business enterprises as Tyco International Ltd. and Unisys Corp.
Abramoff is also listed among those lobbying the Executive Office of the
President and the White House on behalf of three American Indian tribes, including
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and
the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Time magazine has reported it has seen five photos of Bush with Abramoff, the
lobbyist's sons and Raul Garza Sr., then-chairman of the Texas Kickapoo
Indian tribe.
More than 1,300 registered lobbyists have personally given more than $1.8
million to President George W. Bush during the last six years.
The Center identified 12 former registered lobbyists who have been hired to
work in the various offices of the White House-sometimes formulating public
policy about the various issues on which they once lobbied.
Similarly, the Center found that the Bush administration appointed 92
lobbyists to its transition advisory teams between 2000 and 2001.
273 former White House staffers registered as lobbyists since 1998.
Collectively, these lobbyists have represented more than 3,000 special interests and
have been personally involved in billings worth approximately $1 billion - or as
much as 10 percent of all lobbying since 1998.
More than one in five companies that lobby the federal government has lobbied
the offices of the White House; more than the Departments of Education,
Federal Communication Commission and Veteran's Affairs put together.
The Clinton White House in comparison to the Bush White House
Year Admin Companies lobbying the White House
1998 Clinton 1366
1999 Clinton 1327
2000 Clinton 1477
2001 Bush 1493
2002 Bush 2052
2003 Bush 1629
2004 Bush 1545
For more information please visit the Center for Public Integrity's website.
Or read our recent story on Lobbying the White House. For further comment or
inquiry please contact
Sam Stein
Press Secretary
sstein@publicintegrity.org
202-481-1225
Cell - 202-285-3645
###The Center for Public Integrity is a non-profit, non-partisan Washington,
D.C.-based organization that does investigative reporting and research on
public policy issues. Since 1990, the Center has released more than 275
investigative reports and 14 books. In the past eight years, the Center has been honored
more than 30 times by, among others, Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE),
The George Polk Award and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Lobbyists Connect With White House
(Bush Lied Jan 26 Regarding Lobbyists)
WASHINGTON, January 26, 2006 -
During today's news conference, President Bush was asked whether or not he
meets with lobbyists. His answer, "I try not to," did not paint a complete
picture.
While it remains to be seen whether the President personally associates with
lobbyists, it is abundantly clear that his White House has deep connections to
the lobbying industry. The Center for Public Integrity, an award winning,
investigative journalism non-profit organization, has uncovered a myriad of
personal, business and political ties between the Bush administration and K-Street.
For example:
Since 1998, more than 4,600 companies, trade associations and interest groups
have directly lobbied the 14 offices of the White House.
The Center found 52 registered lobbyists who were major fundraisers for the
Bush campaigns. The donations gathered by each fundraiser were tabulated with
"Solicitor Tracking Numbers" assigned by the campaigns-as a way to insure that
each fundraiser received due credit for the donations he or she collected.
Such tracking numbers appear on disclosure forms signed by lobbyists Wayne
Berman of Federalist Group, Thomas Loeffler of The Loeffler Group and David
Metzner of American Continental Group Inc., all of whom pledged to raise $250,000
for Bush.
Embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff raised $100,000 for Bush's 2004 campaign as
a Pioneer and represented 15 clients that were lobbying the White House,
including such business enterprises as Tyco International Ltd. and Unisys Corp.
Abramoff is also listed among those lobbying the Executive Office of the
President and the White House on behalf of three American Indian tribes, including
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and
the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Time magazine has reported it has seen five photos of Bush with Abramoff, the
lobbyist's sons and Raul Garza Sr., then-chairman of the Texas Kickapoo
Indian tribe.
More than 1,300 registered lobbyists have personally given more than $1.8
million to President George W. Bush during the last six years.
The Center identified 12 former registered lobbyists who have been hired to
work in the various offices of the White House-sometimes formulating public
policy about the various issues on which they once lobbied.
Similarly, the Center found that the Bush administration appointed 92
lobbyists to its transition advisory teams between 2000 and 2001.
273 former White House staffers registered as lobbyists since 1998.
Collectively, these lobbyists have represented more than 3,000 special interests and
have been personally involved in billings worth approximately $1 billion - or as
much as 10 percent of all lobbying since 1998.
More than one in five companies that lobby the federal government has lobbied
the offices of the White House; more than the Departments of Education,
Federal Communication Commission and Veteran's Affairs put together.
The Clinton White House in comparison to the Bush White House
Year Admin Companies lobbying the White House
1998 Clinton 1366
1999 Clinton 1327
2000 Clinton 1477
2001 Bush 1493
2002 Bush 2052
2003 Bush 1629
2004 Bush 1545
For more information please visit the Center for Public Integrity's website.
Or read our recent story on Lobbying the White House. For further comment or
inquiry please contact
Sam Stein
Press Secretary
sstein@publicintegrity.org
202-481-1225
Cell - 202-285-3645
###The Center for Public Integrity is a non-profit, non-partisan Washington,
D.C.-based organization that does investigative reporting and research on
public policy issues. Since 1990, the Center has released more than 275
investigative reports and 14 books. In the past eight years, the Center has been honored
more than 30 times by, among others, Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE),
The George Polk Award and the Society of Professional Journalists.