Former Rep. David Obey joins lobby firm

A former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee has moved from creating policy to lobbying on it. 

Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.) has joined Gephardt Government Affairs as senior counsel. The firm was founded by former Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.).

Obey served for 41 years in the House of Representatives and spent six years as chairman of the Appropriations Committee, which determines federal spending. He retired from Congress last year.

"I could not be more thrilled to welcome Dave to the firm,” Gephardt, the firm’s president, said in a statement. “I’ve long admired his ability to negotiate, problem-solve and develop legislative strategy: He will be an incredible asset to our team."

Gephardt highlighted Obey’s value as someone who knows the nitty-gritty details of federal spending. Obey also served as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee and was a member of the Budget Committee.

Obey would be eligible to lobby his former colleagues beginning in 2012. Members of Congress must wait at least one year before lobbying current representatives and senators, according to lobbying laws. 

The statement did not specify whether Obey plans to lobby for the firm.

"Dick Gephardt and Tom O’Donnell are the most able and decent people I’ve ever worked with in government,” Obey said about the firm’s partners in the same statement. “They have a tremendous capacity to talk to anyone, and more importantly, to listen to anyone. I look forward to joining the team."