With Tom DeLay out of the picture, there are three House Republicans vying to become the next House Majority Leader: John Boehner (Ohio), John Shadegg (Ariz.), and the frontrunner, Roy Blunt (Mo.). Listening to the competing pitches, the rhetoric is similar — all three are anxious to “reform” the way Congress operates, undercut lobbyists’ power, and end initiatives like the “K Street Project.”
Of course, each also wants to win the post and are working aggressively behind the scenes to advance their candidacy and undermine their rivals. And though each are promising to clean up the House, subscription-only Roll Call reports today that each are also relying on lobbyists to win the leadership post.
Even as the candidates for House Republican leadership posts try to top each other over who will crack down harder on lobbyists, they are leaning on their extensive networks of K Streeters for help with winning votes in the Republican Conference.
Lobbyists are sharing information with Members and their staffs, strategizing on how to rustle up more votes, feeling out uncommitted lawmakers, and trying to plant damaging stories about the competition in the media. […]
“Like anything, if you talk to smart people, you get some information you might not have gotten,” said a lobbyist who’s helping Boehner in his run for House Majority Leader.
A lobbyist close to Blunt, the Majority Whip and Boehner’s top competition for the job, added, “A lot of people have a lot of conversations, and the more information you have the better.”
There’s a certain irony here. The candidates for Majority Leader promise to advance “lobbying reform” … just as soon as a bunch of lobbyists help them get the job. This in no way undermines their credibility on the issue, right?