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maritza, I disagree on your assertions (5.00 / 1) (#100)
by lookoverthere on Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 02:22:40 PM EST
I believe Sen. Obama doesn't accept money from Federal lobbyists. Federal lobbyists are people registered as such. Sen. Obama does accept donations from their spouses, business partners (even those from lobbying firms who are not registered as lobbyists), clients, state lobbyists, and so on

For example:

Spouses of lobbyists also can give donations. One example: Ben Barnes, a federally registered lobbyist, has given contributions to Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, but not to Obama or John Edwards.

However, Barnes' wife, Melanie Barnes, has given to Obama and Edwards on the same dates and in the same amounts as her husband's contributions to the other candidates. She lists her occupation as homemaker.

Sen. Obama also has K-Street folks helping him out. From 3/38/07:

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is benefiting from the support of well-connected Washington lobbyists even though he has prohibited his campaign from accepting contributions from them and political action committees (PACs).

While Obama has decried the influence of special interests in Washington, the reality is that many of the most talented and experienced political operatives in his party are lobbyists, and he needs their help.

Other K Street players working to build momentum for Obama are former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), a consultant for Alston & Bird; Broderick Johnson, president of Bryan Cave Strategies LLC; Mark Keam, the lead Democratic lobbyist at Verizon; Jimmy Williams, vice president of government affairs for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America; Thomas Walls, vice president of federal public affairs at McGuireWoods Consulting; and Francis Grab, senior manager at Washington Council Ernst & Young...

Some of Obama's K Street boosters keep their support a secret to uphold Obama's image as a Washington outsider untainted by D.C.'s influence business...

Two lobbyists who are supporting another candidate and spoke to The Hill on condition of anonymity said that Obama's campaign contacted them asking to be put in touch with their networks of business clients and acquaintances.

One of the lobbyists, who supports Clinton, said that Shomik Dutta, a fundraiser for Obama's campaign, called to ask if the lobbyist's wife would be interested in making a political contribution.

"I was quite taken aback," he said. "He was very direct in saying that you're a lobbyist and we don't want contributions from lobbyists. But your wife can contribute and we like your network."

Sen. Obama also pledged not to acccept PAC money. From an article from last August:

SFGate has an article on how Sen. Obama's pledge not to accept PAC money and his 527 set up so he can take PAC money.

In his campaign against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Sen. John Edwards and the rest of the Democratic field, Obama has advocated campaign finance reform and declared he will not accept any money from PACs.

In the Senate, he has also criticized 527 groups. After the 2004 election, when the Swift Boat Veterans spent millions to attack Democrat John Kerry's Vietnam War record, Obama called their campaign "American politics at its worst" and "a fraud being perpetrated on the American people." The first-term senator said he might sponsor a bill to outlaw 527 groups entirely, according to news accounts.

Nevertheless, in March, in Phillips' law office near San Francisco's Transbay Terminal, Obama supporters created a 527 group and a political action committee to help Obama win the California primary...

But with a PAC and a 527 group in place, wealthy donors could be directed to "a place where you can go and give limitless funds," the source said. "It basically blows a hole in what we know as campaign finance limits."

Finally, you don't know every Dem, worth his or her salt or not, or what that individal's wish would be on this issue.

You don't get to define who is a Democrat.

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