Hiring a lobbyist is about purchasing access to elected officials and insight into the political landscape. Major corporations spend massive sums of money on lobbyists, sometimes to block policy initiatives that enjoy public support but would negatively impact their bottom line. But non-profits and other civic-minded groups also employ lobbyists to help them achieve goals that have nothing to do with profit maximization. Environmental groups, for example, routinely employ lobbyists to help them advance policies to combat climate change or reduce air and water pollution.
As usual, a superb investigative report, Judd. The surest sign of the double-dealing is how little is actually being done to address climate change by major power companies.
Even as everyone can see the results of the climate heating up, of the glaciers melting, of droughts (48% of the US was in drought last year) and the negative effects on global food production, and of the severe and increasing intensity of storms, these avaricious fucks are thumbing their noses at all life on earth. For profit.
Perhaps someone with a legislation skill set who gives a damn about our precious, irreplaceable planet, it's creatures, and humanity? Isn't that the literal meaning of a public servant?
I know people who walk their neighborhoods picking up trash and looking out for their fellow neighbors. Those are true public servants.
These double-dealing lobbyists are contemptibly greed-oriented and the result is plain for everyone to see.
Once a rep leaves Congress, there's a job waiting as a very influential, high paid lobbyist. Notice the pay gap between the non-profits and big oil? Conflict of interest?
Hiring a lobbyist is about purchasing elected officials and insight into the political landscape.
Lobbyists are purchasing more than access. Once the check clears, they own that politician. After officials are dangling from their donor's purse strings for more money, King Cash needs to only pull one string here or there to move them as they wish forevermore.
Until the SCOTUS ruling that made money=speech is overruled, average people are screwed and their voices are muted.
Double and triple agents on the scene? What could go wrong? Nothing to see here. We keep the drug reps away from our residents for a reason, one these folks seem oblivious to. Perhaps some of these lobbyists will be on the Supreme Court soon, since this kind of chicanery seems to be a prime qualification.
Excellent reporting. Favorite and entirely predictable line: EDF says working for a fossil fuel company is not an "automatic disqualification" and "can actually help us find productive alignment in unexpected places." Of course it’s possible, but if a lobbyist could negotiate acceptable, mutually-beneficial terms between factions, I don’t think that skill would be a buried lede. I think we’re looking at a much simpler reality: Hypocrisy + rationalization = make money and still sleep at night.
So lobbyists play both sides of various interests and are as a group filthy, greedy profiteers who should be outlawed from interacting with any lawmakers, local, state or federal. What a corrupt system of influence peddling we have allowed free reign over our government. How exactly is this practice legal? And what purpose exactly do lobbyists serve that benefits we the people? So it is likely that our hard earned dollars 💵 are sucked away by endless campaigns offering justice when they only serve to steal from those who are in harm’s way? I surmise fossil fuel companies have a high enough profit margin that they require no “grassroots” fundraising from small amount donations. What “suckers” we all are to believe in any “charitable” donations? Lobbyists should be banned from the halls of governance. I suppose we cannot restrict random meet and greets but our economy is sick enough without paying these leeches for their dirty work. 502 (c) 4? Is that the correct identification? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I’ll be keeping my dollars 💵 from now on. Isn’t there a central blocking source to get off the endless roles of money grabbers? Does anyone know how to stop the solicitations? Perhaps Google is wise and forthcoming. Or Wikipedia. I will be searching. Thank you for this enlightening report. I surmise the only safe donation is one to a company whose annual reports are freely provided and accurate. And of course, fiction is so easily produced. No one knows what constitutes truth in this day and age.
I was so glad to see you tackle this issue. The climate crisis is arguably the greatest threat life on the planet has ever faced. Given that, the dearth of coverage exposing the agents and systems working to maintain the fossil fuel industry is almost as distressing as the climate crisis itself!
it looks like the new third rail is geoengineering.
"Visa is denying my Substack subscribers from subscribing because Substack is a "political organization." AMEX is declining as a "do not honor." The truth must be hurting these companies.....
One hundred years of Man vs. Nature, geoengineering gone wrong, Texas stole California's rain, and US commercial airlines are making clouds & priming America for a hacking catastrophe. Worldwide Geoengineering Lawsuits! Landmark Case.
Maybe I'm just a simpleton, but how could being a lobbyist for the fossil fuel industry not disqualify you from working for the EDF? That doesn't make any sense at all. What is going on?
As usual, a superb investigative report, Judd. The surest sign of the double-dealing is how little is actually being done to address climate change by major power companies.
Even as everyone can see the results of the climate heating up, of the glaciers melting, of droughts (48% of the US was in drought last year) and the negative effects on global food production, and of the severe and increasing intensity of storms, these avaricious fucks are thumbing their noses at all life on earth. For profit.
Thank you for this excellent report.
They figure, "hey, I'll be dead by the time the bill comes due so fuck it, I want the money now!"
Why, if we didn't have lobbyist, who would write the legislation?
Perhaps someone with a legislation skill set who gives a damn about our precious, irreplaceable planet, it's creatures, and humanity? Isn't that the literal meaning of a public servant?
I know people who walk their neighborhoods picking up trash and looking out for their fellow neighbors. Those are true public servants.
These double-dealing lobbyists are contemptibly greed-oriented and the result is plain for everyone to see.
Perhaps I should have used the sarcasm font.
I was only grumbling in general, Bruce. Thanks!
“Guns for hire” is the very definition of a lobbyist, isn’t it?
Once a rep leaves Congress, there's a job waiting as a very influential, high paid lobbyist. Notice the pay gap between the non-profits and big oil? Conflict of interest?
Greed. Pure greed.
Slight unsolicited edit of opening sentence:
Hiring a lobbyist is about purchasing elected officials and insight into the political landscape.
Lobbyists are purchasing more than access. Once the check clears, they own that politician. After officials are dangling from their donor's purse strings for more money, King Cash needs to only pull one string here or there to move them as they wish forevermore.
Until the SCOTUS ruling that made money=speech is overruled, average people are screwed and their voices are muted.
Double and triple agents on the scene? What could go wrong? Nothing to see here. We keep the drug reps away from our residents for a reason, one these folks seem oblivious to. Perhaps some of these lobbyists will be on the Supreme Court soon, since this kind of chicanery seems to be a prime qualification.
Excellent reporting. Favorite and entirely predictable line: EDF says working for a fossil fuel company is not an "automatic disqualification" and "can actually help us find productive alignment in unexpected places." Of course it’s possible, but if a lobbyist could negotiate acceptable, mutually-beneficial terms between factions, I don’t think that skill would be a buried lede. I think we’re looking at a much simpler reality: Hypocrisy + rationalization = make money and still sleep at night.
So lobbyists play both sides of various interests and are as a group filthy, greedy profiteers who should be outlawed from interacting with any lawmakers, local, state or federal. What a corrupt system of influence peddling we have allowed free reign over our government. How exactly is this practice legal? And what purpose exactly do lobbyists serve that benefits we the people? So it is likely that our hard earned dollars 💵 are sucked away by endless campaigns offering justice when they only serve to steal from those who are in harm’s way? I surmise fossil fuel companies have a high enough profit margin that they require no “grassroots” fundraising from small amount donations. What “suckers” we all are to believe in any “charitable” donations? Lobbyists should be banned from the halls of governance. I suppose we cannot restrict random meet and greets but our economy is sick enough without paying these leeches for their dirty work. 502 (c) 4? Is that the correct identification? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I’ll be keeping my dollars 💵 from now on. Isn’t there a central blocking source to get off the endless roles of money grabbers? Does anyone know how to stop the solicitations? Perhaps Google is wise and forthcoming. Or Wikipedia. I will be searching. Thank you for this enlightening report. I surmise the only safe donation is one to a company whose annual reports are freely provided and accurate. And of course, fiction is so easily produced. No one knows what constitutes truth in this day and age.
I was so glad to see you tackle this issue. The climate crisis is arguably the greatest threat life on the planet has ever faced. Given that, the dearth of coverage exposing the agents and systems working to maintain the fossil fuel industry is almost as distressing as the climate crisis itself!
Lobbyists rank several rungs down the ladder from used car salesmen. Money has made democracy an illusion. Great reporting.
it looks like the new third rail is geoengineering.
"Visa is denying my Substack subscribers from subscribing because Substack is a "political organization." AMEX is declining as a "do not honor." The truth must be hurting these companies.....
https://reinettesenumsfoghornexpress.substack.com/p/credit-card-companies-denying-my?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web
They are Republican and "Money above all else" organizations!
So, how can Judd, Tesnim, and Rebecca challenge this development?
Geoengineering Lawsuit with Reinette Senum and Jim Lee
Jim Lee of ClimateViewer Takes on the History of Geoengineering
https://reinettesenumsfoghornexpress....
One hundred years of Man vs. Nature, geoengineering gone wrong, Texas stole California's rain, and US commercial airlines are making clouds & priming America for a hacking catastrophe. Worldwide Geoengineering Lawsuits! Landmark Case.
We all need to know more about these issues.
Here's another interesting one:
https://joaniehiggs.substack.com/p/environmentalism-vs-climate-change/comments#comment-17183826
yes. Follow this stack: https://reinettesenumsfoghornexpress.substack.com/p/credit-card-companies-denying-my?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web
Damn.
And I thought lawyers were scumbags…!
Good job Judd and team. Playing both sides of the field is why Lobbyists can afford all those perks to the elected.
As America has declined the players have made a bunch of money as they scurry along the bow of the leaky ship called Democracy.
It's always about the money.
Maybe I'm just a simpleton, but how could being a lobbyist for the fossil fuel industry not disqualify you from working for the EDF? That doesn't make any sense at all. What is going on?