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Washington Insider Congressman Blunt Hires Corporate Special Interest Lobbyist Andrew Blunt to Run Campaign
For Immediate Release: February 19, 2010 Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125 Congressman Blunt is running against State Senator Chuck Purgason, Mark Memoly, Bob Praprotnik and David Conway in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate. --30--
Washington Insider Congressman Blunt Hires Corporate Special Interest Lobbyist Andrew Blunt to Run Campaign
After taking more money from lobbyists in 2009 than any other candidate or member of Congress – Congressman Blunt hires Lobbyist
Jefferson City, MO – Congressman Roy Blunt strengthened his connections with the corporate special interests he has represented for 13 years in Congress by announcing mega lobbyist, Andy Blunt, is his campaign manager. It is not surprising that Congressman Blunt would turn to a lobbyist to run his campaign since he took more money from lobbyists during the first six months of 2009 than any other candidate or member of Congress. [UPI, 02/16/2010; FEC.gov]
"Congressman Blunt has chosen to bolster his connections to lobbyists and special interests by hiring someone who is a career lobbyist for tobacco companies and drug companies to run his campaign," said Missouri Democratic Party Spokesman Ryan Hobart. "In Congressman Blunt's Washington insider world the lines between his office, his campaign and lobbyists are non-existent. People are tired of the politics of favor-peddling and backroom deals, and this is just another example of why Roy Blunt's time in Congress is about to run out."
While not surprising, the move raises some potential ethical issues of mixing private business and public service. Blunt has come under criticism before for using his public office to peddle influence to help lobbyists:
• USA Today: New Lobbyist Fundraising Disclosures Show Blunt Collected Over $300k from Lobbyists: In October, USA Today reported that Blunt had taken more money from lobbyists this year than any other candidate or member of Congress. In fact, Blunt reported more "bundled" money from lobbyists than both the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican National Committee. [USA Today, 10/4/09]
• Blunt Organized Meetings of Republican Congressmen, Lobbyists and Trade Associations To "Plot Strategy" and Whip Votes From Capitol Conference Room. As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Blunt leads a key House GOP project in which Republicans enlist the help of lobbyists and trade associations to line up lawmakers' support for key GOP-backed bills. He regularly invites these advocates into his 3rd-floor conference room in the Capitol, where the lobbyists, lawmakers and congressional aides share information and plot strategy on how to get the most votes for a particular bill." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1/12/06]
• Blunt's Whip Office Worked With Over 500 Lobbyists. As reported by The National Journal, "Roughly 500 people from K Street lobby shops, trade associations, corporate Washington offices, and interest groups work with the whip's office, according to aides to Blunt... These ad hoc coalitions help the whip team develop strategy, identify members whose votes are in play, and then work on winning those members' votes." [National Journal, 11/5/05]
• May 2005: Washington Post Exposed Blunt's Lucrative "Institutionalized Alliance" With Lobbying Community: In 2005, the Washington Post reported on "Blunt Inc." which the paper described as a "political machine" that extended "deep into Washington's K Street lobbying community." The story compared Blunt's organization to then-Republican Majority Leader Tom Delay's:
Working outside the glare of public attention, Blunt has maximized the organization's influence by delegating authority to Washington business and trade association lobbyists to help negotiate deals with individual House members to produce majorities on important issues.
… Both "Blunt Inc." and "DeLay Inc." reflect the growing importance of commanding multimillion-dollar funds and having reliable loyalists in Washington's lobbying community…
…Here in Washington, Blunt has converted what had been an informal and ad hoc relationship between congressional leaders and the Washington corporate and trade community into a formal, institutionalized alliance. Lobbyists are now an integral part of the Republican whip operation…[Washington Post, 5/17/05]
