Let me explain something about how lobbyists in a small state like NH work.

[cali]

I didn't see the debate, so I'm not clear whether Clinton accused Obama of his having a campaign manager or a state co-chair who works as a lobbyist for big pharma. In any case, he evidently said it wasn't true, and that itself was a fairly big gaffe as far as I'm concerned.

HOWEVER:

I live in Vermont. I have a friend who's *gasp* a lobbyist. He's also a good guy. As you are probably aware, this is very small state. There are very few lobbying firms. And they take just about everything. My friend lobbied passionately for civil unions/gay marriage. He lobbied against WalMart- and he lobbied for corporation- including big pharma. That's how it works here, and it's not a bad system. Furthermore, if he didn't take almost all clients, he's be out of business. Period. And he's done a boatload of good up to the Statehouse- to put it in Vermont vernacular. New Hampshire is the same way. That's how it works. And this isn't DC type lobbying. It's barely related. These are both very part time legislatures with citizen legislators who are generally just your neigbors or cousins. They go up to the Statehouse and make their case and that's it. I don't think there's ever been a lobbying scandal in Vermont. If there has been, I've missed it.

[MadBadger]

1. The man in question is a state lobbyist and not a federal lobbyist

[cali]

2. did you bother to read my OP?

Doesn't seem like it, as that's what I explain- how state lobbyists work.

[MadBadger]

4. Cali, I did read your OP

I read every single word of it. Sorry If I pointed it out again.

[Evergreen Emerald]

3. The point is that they are running on the theme that lobbyists are bad

So, now we discover that he has a lobbyist on his staff and that John Edwards talks millions in lobbyists money, but not Washington lobbyists?

And then Edwards had the nerve to say that those people he took millions from, can never be in his white house because they are lobbyists!

Double standard here.

[killbotfactory]

5. They are calling them bad because they corrupt people in the beltway

obviously, state lobbyists are not part of that problem, since they can't lobby the federal government.

[cali]

6. well, right.

but I don't think most people have a clue how lobbying works on the state level- and particularly in state's like NH.