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For a group of people who apparently have so much influence in Washington, lobbyists seem to have a hard time keeping politicians from bashing them. The American League of Lobbyists (ALL) made its second appeal this year to candidates to treat them with more respect. “We feel there is growing frustration with this concept candidates keep pushing that all lobbyists are evil and somehow what we do is inappropriate,” said Brian Pallasch, the president of ALL. Lobbyists like Pallasch are quick to point out that the right to petition the government, to lobby, is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. But for all the disagreements between Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), they agree on at least one point: Lobbying needs to be curtailed and its influence diminished. McCain has gone on a staff purge, showing the door to friends and advisers who have kept up a lobbying practice. Obama, meanwhile, insisted that the national party forswear donations from K Street, as he himself has done. The constant criticism led ALL to release a statement on Friday with the header, “Lobbyists are Citizens, Too.” “As a profession, lobbying is an easy target and a candidate automatically garners public support with each declaration,” Pallasch said in the statement. He said the complaints were “hypocritical” because both candidates have worked with lobbyists and know the value of their input. The ALL president said the group would follow up the statement with a letter. It sent one to candidates back in January, apparently not to much good effect. Pallasch, who lobbies for the American Society of Civil Engineers, said the league was also talking to public relations agencies and may embark on a messaging campaign to counteract the negative stereotypes perpetuated on the campaign trail. |
