Lobbyists ties to the Obama administration

Lobbyists ties to the Obama administration describes the undisclosed [1] deal-makers and the people they have represented, that are likely to benefit from working in the Obama Administration. “Your voices should speak louder than the whispers of lobbyists,” Senator Obama told a crowd in Green Bay, Wis., while campaigning for president.

“  |  Special interest spending on Capitol Hill broke records in 2009, topping $3.47 billion. |  ”

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[2] 2009 list toppers include the health care industry $266 million; general business interests spent $183 million; the oil and gas industry spent $168 million; the insurance industry spent $164 million; and utilities spent $144 million. The biggest increase in year-over-year lobbying came from the food and beverage industry, 3000% increase. They spent $18 million on lobbying to kill a national soda tax.

## Lobbyists[edit]

Lobbyist:  |  Obama assignment:  |  On behalf:  |  Relationships with:  |  Additional info:  |

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Thomas Wheeler  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  Telecom Services & Equipment  |  Telecom Co. |  B, R
Robert Sussman  |  Energy and Natural Resources Team  |  Latham & Watkins  |  Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Navistar International, Business Roundtable [2] |  B, R
Todd Stern  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering  |  Pharmaceutical Clients |  R
David Hays  |  Energy and Natural Resources Team  |  Latham & Watkins  |  Sempra Energy  |  R
Michael Huerta  |  Transportation Team  |  Salt Lake Winter Olympics Org Cmte  |  International Olympic Committee  |  R
Tom Donilon  |  National Security Team  |  Telecom Services & Equipment  |  Fannie Mae |  R (reporting more than $40 million in lobbying activity during 1999-2005)
Theodore M. Shaw  |  Justice and Civil Rights Team  |  NAACP Legal Defense Fund  |  NAACP |  R
Keith Harper  |  Energy and Natural Resources Team  |  Kilpatrick Stockton  |  Frank's Landing Indian Community, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Elouise Cobell  |  R
Jim Kohlenberger  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  Kohlenberer Strategic Consulting  |  Voice on the Net Coalition |  R
Melody Barnes  |  Agency Review Co-Chairs  |  Raben Group  |  American Constitution Society |  R
Steven Beckman  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  .  |  .  |  .
Bart Chilton  |  Energy and Natural Resources Team Leads  |  National Farmers Union  |  Farmers Educational Cooperative Union  |  .
Christopher Cooper  |  Justice and Civil Rights  |  Airports Council International & Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition  |  Airports Council International & Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition  |  R
Diane Cornell  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  Inmarsat  |  Inmarsat  |  .
Bill Corr  |  Department of Health and Human Services Team  |  Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids  |  Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids  |  R
Carol Carmody  |  Transportation Team  |  Carmody, Carol J  |  Air Transport Assn of America  |  R
Patricia Campos  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  UNITE HERE |  UNITE HERE  |  .
Michael Deich  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  Van Scoyoc Assoc  |  Sacramento County Airport System  |  R (4th largest lobbying firm in America, $198,348,000. from '98 to '08)[3]
Gary Epstein  |  Economics and International Trade Team  |  .  |  .  |  R
Sally Ericsson  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  Ericsson, Sally  |  Pacific Forest Trust  |  .
Michael Fitzpatric  |  Government Operations Team  |  .  |  .  |  R
Pamela Gilbert  |  Department of Health and Human Services Team  |  Cuneo, Waldman & Gilbert  |  American Assn of Justice, Barr Laboratories, Center for Justice & Democracy, Committee to Support the Antitrust Laws, Korein Tillery  |  R
Stephanie Foster  |  Government Operations Team  |  Planned Parenthood Action Fund  |  Planned Parenthood |  .
Ralph Everett  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  Paul, Hastings et al.  |  American Moving & Storage Assn, Assn of Public Television Stations, AT&T Inc, City of Tallahassee, FL., Clear Channel Communications, General Electric, Optimal Group, Philips Electronics North America, Progress Energy  |  R
Jane Garvey  |  Transportation Team  |  APCO Worldwide  |  Steris Corp  |  R
Al Lenhardt  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  National Crime Prevention Council  |  National Crime Prevention Council  |  .
Judith Lichtman  |  Justice and Civil Rights Team  |  Natl Partnership for Women & Families |  Natl Partnership for Women & Families  |  .
Mona Mohib  |  Education & Labor Team  |  Peyser Assoc  |  City of Macon, GA., City of Seattle, WA., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, US Transit Suppliers Coalition  |  .
Scott Harris  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  .  |  .  |  B, R
James Halpert  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  .  |  .  |  .
Sally Katzen  |  Working Group Members; Government Operations Team; Executive Office of the President Team  |  Katzen, Sally  |  Amgen  |  R
Paul Kurtz  |  National Security Team  |  Cyber Security Industry Alliance  |  Cyber Security Industry Alliance  |  .
Miriam Nisbet  |  Government Operations Team  |  American Library Assn  |  American Library Assn  |  .
Helen Norton  |  Justice and Civil Rights Team  |  Natl Partnership for Women & Families  |  Natl Partnership for Women & Families  |  .
Daniel Restrepo  |  National Security Team  |  Center for American Progress  |  Center for American Progress  |  .
Marcie Roth  |  Justice and Civil Rights Team  |  National Council on Independent Living  |  National Council on Independent Living |  .
Mara Eve Rudman  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  Quorum Strategies  |  American Insurance Assn  |  R
Henry M. Rivera  |  Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team  |  Shook, Hardy & Bacon  |  Catholic Television Network  |  R
David Tucker  |  Department of Health and Human Services Team  |  .  |  .  |  .
Peter Umhofer  |  Executive Office of the President Team  |  Kanner & Assoc  |  Missouri River Energy Services, Northern California Power Agency, Ohio Municipal Electric Assn  |  R
Bert Steele III  |  National Security Team  |  .  |  .  |  R
Maria Echaveste [4] |  Adviser on Immigration  |  United Farm Workers |  United Farm Workers  |  .
Mark Gitenstein  |  Transition Management Issues  |  .  |  U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AT&T Inc., Ernst & Young LLP, Merrill Lynch & Co  |  .
John Podesta  |  Director of the CIA  |  Center for American Progress |  Center for American Progress  |  R
Thomas Perrelli  |  Justice Department Advisor  |  Jenner & Block LLP  |  Fannie Mae, General Motors, Hollywood Studios, RIAA  |  R,(worked on behalf the husband of Terri Schiavo)
Cassandra Butts  |  ~~Deputy White House Counsel~~ |  Center for American Progress  |  Center for American Progress, NAACP Legal Defense Fund  |  Departing administration for a position at the Millennium Challenge Corporation [5]
Carol Browner |  ~~Energy Coordinator (Czar)~~ |  Citizen Action  |  Center for American Progress, Alliance for Climate Protection, Citizen Action, APX, Inc, League of Conservation Voters, Albright Group  |  R, (Spouse is a lobbyist for ExxonMobil and a dozen firms on energy policy)(Carol is a member of Socialist International) [6] *Retired January 2011
William Lynn  |  Deputy Defense Secretary  |  Raytheon [7] |  Raytheon  |  R
Mark Patterson  | Chief of staff for Treasury Secretary  | Goldman Sachs  | Goldman Sachs  | .
Christine Varney  |  Justice Department  |  Hogan & Hartson  |  eBay, Fox Interactive, Orbitz Worldwide Inc, Doubleclick and Time Warner's AOL  |  R
Hilda Solis |  Secretary of Labor  |  American Rights at Work (unofficial capacity) [8][9] |  Labor Unions  |  She will remove workers rights, crafted/pushes Card-Check. *Spouse has 16-year-old tax-liens.
Gary Locke |  Commerce Secretary  |  Davis Wright Tremaine LLP (unofficial capacity)[10] |  China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, China Shipping, Bank of China, BankOne, Boeing Co., Freightliner, Ford Motor Co., General Electric Capital Corp., Microsoft Corp.  |  R, former governor of Wa. state, strong Chinese relations
Jocelyn Frye  |  Director of Policy and Projects  |  National Partnership for Women & Families  |  National Partnership for Women & Families  |  .
Celcilia Munoz [11] |  Director of Intergovernmental Affairs  |  National Council of La Raza  |  La Raza  |  .
Deborah Greenfield  | Labor department's executive secretariat office  | AFL-CIO, SEIU (unofficial capacity)  | Labor union [12] | Union lawyer who sued the Labor Dept.
Patrick Gaspard  | White House Political Affairs director  | SEIU  | SEIU  | community organizer and lawyer, affiliated with Change to Win[13]
Mary Beth Maxwell [14] | Senior adviser to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis  | American Rights At Work  | Labor Unions  | was executive director for pro-Union American Rights at Work
T. Michael Kerr  | Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management at the Labor Department  | SEIU  | SEIU  | R, held positions under Carter & Clinton, aide to the secretary-treasurer at SEIU
Gabriella Gomez  | Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs EDU Dept  | American Federation of Teachers  | American Federation of Teachers  | R, congressman's liaison for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus TX
Helen R. Kanovsky  | Department of Housing and Urban Development General Counsel  | AFL-CIO,  | AFL-CIO  | chief operating officer AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, worked for Bernard Madoff, Dickstein, Shapiro, Morin and Oshinsky LLP
Jim Miller  | Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Service AGR Dept.  | National Farmers Union, National Association of Wheat Growers  | National Farmers Union, National Association of Wheat Growers  | R, vice president for government relations, chief of staff
Ellen Moran  | White House Director of Communications  | EMILY's List, AFL-CIO  | EMILY's List, AFL-CIO  | B, R executive director of pro-abortion EMILY's List, community organizer [15]
Aneesh Chopra  | Chief Technology Officer Czar  | USINPAC Leadership Committee (Unofficial capacity)  | USINPAC Leadership Committee, Indian offshore jobs  |
Valerie Jarrett | Senior Advisor  | Vice Chair of Chicago 2016 Olympic bid (Unofficial capacity)  | Chicago 2016, Daley Administration, Habitat, Inc, University of Chicago Medical Center[16] | Leads the White House’s effort for Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid after Section 3 of the President’s Ethics Executive Order was waived.
Ed Yingling  | Banking Advisor**  | American Bankers Association | Credit Card Companies  | Has four visits to the White House on record.[17]
Tom Daschle | Healthcare Advisor**  | Alston & Bird lobbying firm [17] | financial services, health care, energy, telecommunications and taxes  | Went from official capacity to non-official, still influences the administration.
Camden Fine  | Banking Advisor**  | Independent Community Bankers of America | Housing and small business loans [17] |
Steve Elmendorf  | Healthcare Advisor**  | Steve Elmendorf  | Ford Motor Co., UnitedHealth Group and Verizon [17] | A Democrat strategist and former House staffer.
Anthony & Heather Podesta [17] | Energy Policy**  | Center for American Progress  | Center for American Progress  | Brother & sister-in-law of John Podesta
Anita Dunn | Outside adviser [18] | Communications  | Liberal Media  | Obama's former Czar has ties to Tom Daschle, as well as her replacement Dan Pfeiffer
Isi Siddiqui  | Office of the U.S. Trade  | CropLife America  | Agriculture industry  | Recess appointment
Erik Hirschhorn  | Commerce Department  | Winston & Strawn  | Lockheed Martin and Sun Chemicals  | Recess appointment
Michael Punke  | U.S. representative World Trade Organization  | Mayer Brown  | Time Warner & Agriculture industry  | Recess appointment
Jacqueline Barrien  | Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  | NAACP Legal Defense Fund  | NAACP  | Recess appointment
Craig Becker*  | Labor Relations Board  | Union lawyer  | Unions  | Recess appointment

*(Unofficial capacity) - not registered as lobbyist but worked for lobbyists
**(Unofficial position) - registered as a lobbyist but official White House title undisclosed

* (B) Bundler [19]

“  |  "Bundlers are people with friends in high places who, after bumping against personal contribution limits, turn to those friends, associates, and, well, anyone who's willing to give, and deliver the checks to the candidate in one big "bundle." |  ”

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* (R) Revolving Door is an individual that rotates working for the private sectors and the federal government.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ How complete are this candidate's campaign finance reports? Open Secrets
2. ↑ Lobbyists Enjoy Windfall Despite Pledges to Rein In Special Interest Influence, FOX News, April 1, 2010
3. ↑ Top Lobbying Firms Open Secrets
4. ↑ AP IMPACT: Donors, lobbyists help Obama get ready AP, December 6, 2008
5. ↑ Well, now: Anita Dunn’s bully lawyer hubby takes over as White House general counsel, Michelle Malkin, November 12, 2009
6. ↑ [1] Socialists International
7. ↑ Obama names former Clinton officials for Pentagon Reuters, January 8, 2009
8. ↑ The Nominee Who Lobbied Herself Weekly Standard, February 3, 2009
9. ↑ Republicans want Labor nominee to stop lobbying for 'card check' bill LA Times, February 5, 2009
10. ↑ Commerce pick tied to China cash Washington Times, March 18, 2009
11. ↑ Obama grants two more lobbyists waivers The Hill, March 9, 2009
12. ↑ Obama team reverses union transparency Washington Times, April 27, 2009
13. ↑ Why He Matters whorunsgov.com
14. ↑ Key Union Activist Appointed To Dept. of Labor laborpains.org
15. ↑ Head Count Ellen Moran Washington Post
16. ↑ What the NYT’s 8,100-word Valerie Jarrett profile didn’t tell you, Michelle Malkin, July 27, 2009
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Celebs, Lobbyists Among White House Guests, NewsMax.com, October 30, 2009
18. ↑ Obama Aide Who Slammed Fox News Resigns, NewsMax.com, November 10, 2009
19. ↑ Bundlers Open Secrets

## External links[edit]

* Former lobbyists in senior Obama administration positions