Obama questions McCain on lobbyists [View All]

[cal04]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080522/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_lobbyists_fact_check

Democrat Barack Obama had harsh words for Republican John McCain on Wednesday, saying McCain once wanted far tougher lobbying reforms than those he has imposed on his own presidential campaign.

Democrats are trying to make McCain seem less than sincere on the issue of lobbying. They argue that while he has built a career and image as a reformer, trying to rid politics of the influence of money and special interests, he has hired lobbyists and former lobbyists to run his presidential campaign.

(snip)
THE FACTS:

Obama's campaign said he was talking about bills McCain introduced in 1996 and 1997 to prohibit campaigns from hiring lobbyists. At the time, McCain said it was a conflict of interest for people who lobby lawmakers to work on political campaigns.

"Registered lobbyists who work for campaigns as fundraisers clearly represent a conflict of interest," McCain said in 1996. "When a campaign employs an individual who also lobbies that member, the perception of undue and unfair influence is raised."

But McCain has, in fact, had lobbyists or former lobbyists working for his campaign at senior levels. His campaign manager, Rick Davis, has not been a registered lobbyist for at least three years. Another well-known Washington lobbyist, Charlie Black, recently retired from his firm.