From the Republic Report today:
“Earlier today, the House of Representatives moved to help save $30 million dollars for medical device companies while defunding programs designed to expand health coverage for ordinary Americans. The House took action on legislation to “repeal a 2.3 percent excise tax on gross sales receipts in excess of $5 million for manufacturers and importers of certain medical devices, including defibrillators, pacemakers and prosthetic limbs.”
Medical devices, a $140 billion industry, has an inside man in Congress, John Boehner’s policy chief Brett Loper:
“Republic Report reviewed ethics forms… filed with the House clerk’s office, and noticed that Loper actually received a $100,147 bonus in 2011 for leaving his medical device lobbying group and becoming a public servant.”
Then there’s Senator Marco Rubio, a current GOP “golden boy” and possible V.P. pick, who took office in 2011 with his very own “Washington Corporate Operative”, Cesar Conda who:
“helped found Navigators Global, a lobbying firm with offices in D.C. and Sacramento, in 2003. There, he helped a multitude of corporate clients, ranging from Oracle Corporation to PG&E to CitiGroup, with advancing their interests before the federal government, including Congress.”
According to Republic Report,
“…Conda’s latest personal finance disclosure, filed last month with the Senate clerk’s office, which reveals that he received between $50,000 to $100,000 in payments from Navigators Global after becoming a public servant under Rubio. The disclosure shows that Conda continues to own a stake in his old lobbying firm, and that he continues to share in the firm’s financial success.”
Think Progress reports these freshmen Republicans have also hired professional influence peddlers as chiefs of staff:
– Rep.-elect Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) selected lobbyist Tim Harris as his chief of staff. Harris works as lobbyist for a trade association representing the shareholders of energy companies like American Electric Power, Duke Energy, NiSource, Vectren.
– Rep.-elect Mike Pompeo (R-KS) selected Mark Chenowerth as his chief of staff. Chenowerthpreviously worked as a lawyer on the lobbying team for Koch Industries, the conglomerate owned by Charles and David Koch. As Think Progressreported early this year, Pompeo was groomed for office by Koch Industries-run front groups, and has served as an executive for Koch Industries oil company subsidiaries.
– Rep.-elect Robert Dold (R-IL) selectedcorporate lobbyist Eric Burgeson as his chief of staff. Burgeson works for the lobbying firm BGR Holdings serving business clients in China, the coal industry, and a nuclear company.
– Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack (R-MN) selected corporate lobbyist Rod Grams as his chief of staff. Grams works for a lobbying firm called Hecht, Spencer, and Associates where he represents 3M, Norfolk Southern and the Financial Services Roundtable, the trade association for the country’s largest banks.
– Rep.-elect Krisi Noem (R-SD) selected Jordon Stoick as her chief of staff. Stoick is a vice president at the lobbying firm Direct Impact. Direct Impact also specializes in building public support for corporate causes, boasting on its website that it once generated hundreds of letters to the FCC on behalf of the telecom industry.
– Rep.-elect Jeff Denham (R-CA) selected corporate lobbyist Jason Larrabee as his chief of staff. Larrabee is the founder of his own lobbying firm.
– Sen.-elect Pat Toomey (R-PA) selected former corporate lobbyist Chris Gahan as his chief of staff. Gahampreviously worked at the lobbying firm Latham and Watkins.
– Rep.-elect Steve Pearce (R-NM) selected Todd Willens as his chief of staff. Willens is a lobbyist at Vitello Consulting, a firm that represents a number of interests, including a casino.
– Sen.-elect Charlie Bass (R-NH) selected lobbyist John Billings as his chief of staff. Billings is a lobbyist for a food marketing and whole sale trade association.
– Rep.-elect Chris Gibson (R-NY) selected Steve Stallmer as his chief of staff. Stallmer is a lobbyist for the Associated General Contractors of New York State.
– Sen.-elect Ron Johnson (R-WI) selected Don Kent as his chief of staff. Kent is a lobbyist for the firm Navigators Global. Navigators Global represents AT&T, CitiGroup, and other major corporations.
– Sen.-elect Mike Lee (R-UT) selected lobbyist Spencer Strokes as his chief of staff. Lee is one of the most prominent corporate lobbyists in Utah, representing clients from the private prison industry to the nuclear industry.
– Sen.-elect Rand Paul (R-KY) selected anti-union lobbyist Douglas Stafford for his chief of staff. Stafford is the vice president of the National Right to Work Committee.
Is this what they mean when they talk about eliminating government jobs – replacing them with corporate jobs?
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