MyDD :: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding

Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding

by findthesource, Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 03:49:24 PM EST

I truly hate to start a diary with a question, but this has been bothering me for weeks: Does Obama have funding from fed lobbyist (ex-lobbyist) or doesn't he?

I ask because I hear conflicting information. There are reputable news stories indicating that ex-lobbyists gave him money bundled with that of an individual's donations, so as to appear as if it came from an individual. I see these individuals named and listed on www.fec.gov.

There is also information that he took lobbyists money for his senatorial race.

However, he starts almost every speech indicating that he does not take federal lobbyist money. I want to think of him as fairly honest, but he and Clinton broke records for campaign funding, and so it is hard to tell.

Please, if you respond with information in this diary, can you please include a link as evidence/support for your statements.

In short, I think we all stand to learn from responses to this diary. Thank you.

Tags: Obama, Lobby, campaign, funding (all tags)

Permalink :: 12 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding (none / 0)

Do you have proof that he does?

What would LBJ do?

by Socks The Cat on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 03:50:17 PM EST

Don't forget the wives and the kids (none / 0)

Don't forget the stories out early in '07 where lobbyist basically said Obama' people would call them and say no the check can't come from you, but you can write it out of your wife or kids account.

by dpANDREWS on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 03:51:57 PM EST

Re: Don't forget the wives and the kids (none / 0)

Yes - 68% of his contributions have been for $1000.00 or more, many in the name of children. I was trying to find the link to that information, but lost it. opensecrets.org is a great source for campaign finance information - that 68% number was probably extrapolated from that data.

He admits taking money directly from state lobbyists. Edwards called him out on that in one of the debates.

by ocli on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 04:22:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Don't forget the wives and the kids (none / 0)

From Opensecrets:

Hillary Clinton has taken $823,000 from lobbyists.

Obama has taken $83,000 from "unregistered employees of lobbying firms, lobbyists' immediate family members and state and local lobbyists."

So, even with the "relaxed" definition for Obama's money and a strict definition for Hillary's, he's taken 1/10th the amount of lobbyist money she has.

Also he's gotten $1,065 from PACs compared to $960,000 Hillary got.

And as for 68% of his contributions being for $1,000+ donations, that's 68% of his itemized donations. People who donate $200 or less don't have to be itemized, and aren't.

by Loreg on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 04:56:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I believe he has some (none / 0)

what bothers me more is the fact that he has Lobbyist working on his campaign and that many in the corporate world and on Wall Street back him. This bugs me.

Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 04:11:54 PM EST

Re: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding (none / 0)

Obama takes tons of money from lobbyists and has plenty of ties with them:

Harper has an article: http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/11/0 081275

Also Taylor Marsh wrote about his connection to the nuclear power industry:

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2008-02 -04-us_nuclear_symbol.jpg

by Enviro on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 04:21:40 PM EST

From (none / 0)

Obama's Senate race
http://opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp ?ID=ILS2&Cycle=2004

Barack Obama (D)
(70% of vote)

Raised: $14,964,184
Spent: $14,371,464
Cash on hand: $803,210
Last Report: 12/31/2004

PACs: $1,205,724 (8%)
Individuals: $13,637,675 (91%)
Candidate: $1,000 (0%)
Other: $119,785 (1%)

Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 04:31:05 PM EST

From (none / 0)

Obama's pres race. This does not count anything past Dec 2007
http://opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.as p?id=N00009638&cycle=2008

Hillary has more non-individual contribustions, but as a percentage they all have low amounts in comparison to individual contributions.

I believe that we will see a huge increase in individual contributions to Hillary Clintons campaign in the next report.

I am not sure what "Other" means in reference to the contributions.

Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 04:38:09 PM EST

Re: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding (none / 0)

Thank you so much for the information!

I will follow up to get hardcore info....but this is a good lead to help me fully understand the candidates.

by findthesource on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 05:57:26 PM EST

Re: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding (none / 0)

It is not a matter of comparisons. She admits to taking the money; he does not. He also openly takes state lobbyists money with a convoluted argument that since they are not federal lobbyists he wont have jurisdiction over them.

Sounds like a typical politician to me.

"The Bumble Bee flies because it thinks it can."

by LadyEagle on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 07:00:09 PM EST

Re: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding (none / 0)

Hillary does - nearly 1 million from pacs, and more than half of that from businesses: http://opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.as p?id=N00000019&cycle=2008

Compared to Obama who has taken less than $4,000 from pacs:
http://opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.as p?id=N00009638&cycle=2008

Source: Opensecrets.org, who Clintards will now call biased.

Demeric

by Demeric on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 09:28:42 PM EST

Re: Does Obama Have Lobbyist Funding (none / 0)

The here is the answer:

"And while Obama doesn't accept lobbyists' money, he raised the $86,282 in cash from employees of firms whose business centers on lobbying. He takes in even more money from employees of law firms which also engage in lobbying, including $226,491 from those working for Sidley Austin LLP, his old law firm, which was paid $3.1 million to lobby by clients such as Caterpillar Inc. and United Parcel Service Inc. " - To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan D. Salant in Washington at jsalant@bloomberg.net .

by speaktruth on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 07:50:14 PM EST

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