The Role of the Lobbyist in D.C.

" from Forbes magazine shows that roughly half of the wealthiest attorneys in America surround Washington DC. Coincidentally over the last ten years the number of lobbyists in the area. Has jumped by almost 50%. With twelve billion dollars more being spent on lobbying over that time period. And despite president Obama's claim that he would restrict contact between his administration's staff a lobbyist. 11% of the senior staff and nominees or registered lobbyists in the past five years when the business of -- I'm joined by nasty breaks the editor of open secrets dot org. Good morning and good to see hill. Good morning Alexis thanks all right so we just talked about from those statistics of what's happened over the past ten years. Why has the role of the lobbyists become more and more essential in DC particular over the past couple years."

" One of the things that lobbyists are hired to do is to deliver money back for their clients in the forms of government contracts tax credits subsidies and lately in bailout and stimulus money so any time the government is handing out. Billions of dollars almost every day as they are right now. Well obviously going to be is fully employed to help bring that money back -- that explains part of the growth over the time that we've looked at."

" It's interesting because -- President Obama when he was the nominee on the campaign trail basically said. He's doing away with lobbyists are not going to be in his administration and and he's soft -- on many of those stamps say is that once heat not only became the nominee in the president. I'll why can't he shifted his stance and what does it mean about his administration and his attitude toward lobbyists."

" I don't think that the attitude is necessarily change but I think the administration has realized that it's going to be impossible to -- 100% to -- no lobbyists will work here. Pledge that was part of the campaign very early on what they've said is that. If you're if you've -- you can't work on the issues that you worked on for your clients. But they've made some exemptions for that that's natural lobbyists of course. Our valuable as lobbyists for among other things their expertise and experience. And so if you're saying I won't hire any of these people into government which are saying is I'm not going to hire some of the most expert people on policy issues and people who understand how policy gets made. And that's that's not going to happen. But I think what did the signal that they're sending is very positive that. We're trying to reduce the influence of outside interest. And and the and and the excessive volume. That can that money can lead to. In the form of of -- now you can't change congress that's where most of the policy in the laws get made and they haven't said anything about reducing the influence of lobbyists down at that and washing."

" You know it's it's a fascinating mess we've been talking about his or months about some of those lobbyists who've been lobbying on behalf of the financial institutions. Or are receiving taxpayer funds we know there was a prohibition on EIG. But a lot of those other financial institutions have continued to lobby and it record levels. It took a black eye on the industry. How do people in the lobbying community feel about that and is it rightly deserved in some cases."

" I think lobbyists feel that they have been unfairly maligned in this. In this environment that. They do a service they in fact are essential to the policy making process because they understand these issues members of congress can't be expected to be experts on everything they -- away. And so they bring in the lobbyists to to help guide them in. And help interpret how laws that congress is proposing will affect. Interest and industries the problem is when those with the most money if allowed -- voices at the table and everyone else is excluded. Ideally what you want is for everyone to be lobbying for everyone to be. Expressing their point of view to lawmakers. -- for everyone to have a seat at the table and then congress can sort out those those voices that doesn't always happen and that's why we've been seeing that in the criticism. Lobbying because it's it's -- of those. Huge interest your pharmaceutical industry your finance sector. That can't afford to spend. As much money as they do last year was more than three billion dollars spent on federal lobbying that's seventeen million dollars a day Alexis for every day congressman's. It's amazing."

" It is amazing -- I thank you very much for bringing us up to date on this story as good Kenya."