Lobbyist Quotations

We work for the families back home, we do not work for the lobbyists that prowl the halls of the capital building, do not forget who we work for.

It comes as no surprise that a lobbyist or public-affairs representative in Washington, D.C., would claim they have access to elected officials.

You have those rare occasions when an issue gets a lot of publicity and coverage and that's when most legislators would vote in accordance with the mainstream views back home. But those are rare occasions. On most issues and most bills, the level of public concern and understanding is, frankly, very low. And when that goes down, the amount of power and influence lobbyists have in that (Statehouse) goes up. That is true on most issues.

We don't have any objection to a ban being imposed on lobbyists buying food, beverages or other gifts for lawmakers and their staff. The Legislature simply went far beyond this prohibition, though, cutting deeply into our ability to communicate for our clients and invading the privacy of people who simply want their representatives to listen to them.

Global poverty is the product of reversible policy failures overseen by politicians, past and present. The poorest of the poor don't vote in American or European elections. They don't make donations to political parties or hire lobbyists in D.C., London or Canberra.

It's the job of a special advisor to be the eyes and ears of a minister and it's the job of a corporate lobbyist to represent the best interests of their organization.

If you're looking for someone to go to Washington, to go along to get along, to get - to agree with the career politicians in both parties who get in bed with the lobbyists and special interests, then I ain't your guy.

We wonder if McCain is as excited about the fact that Santorum has gotten more lobbyist money than anyone up in 2006.

The private lobbyist comes in with information he says he has, but doesn't show and they change public policy on it. It's horrible for the open public process. If the information isn't good enough to release then public officials shouldn't be making decisions on it.

The public remembers the bad experiences with lobbyists because those cases are prosecuted and publicized. The everyday lobbying activity that helps the system run doesn't come to their attention.