It’s sometimes easy to forget just how big the scam known as the “[tag]K Street Project[\/tag]” really is. As long-time readers know, we’re talking about, in effect, an affirmative-action program for the GOP, in which practically all lobbying jobs in DC were reserved for [tag]Republicans[\/tag] — and firms, corporations, and trade associations that failed to cooperate faced threats from conservative congressional leaders.<\/p>\n
In fact, in 1998, Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay intentionally blocked a vote on an intellectual property bill because the Electronics Industry Association announced it intended to hire a new director — who happened to be a [tag]Democrat[\/tag]. No Republican meant no legislation, Gingrich and DeLay said. In some instances, [tag]GOP[\/tag] leaders told lobbying firms they had to fire Dems who were already hired<\/i>, to make room for a Republican replacement.<\/p>\n
It helped establish a new precedent and K Street quickly learned that hiring Republicans for lobbying jobs was simply the price of doing business in Washington.<\/p>\n