Lobbying: what is it really, and will the scandal change anything?

Most of us have been forced to think about lobbying in more detail since the Jack Abramoff scandal broke. On January 3, Abramoff pled guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion. Prosecutors argued that he had used campaign contributions, lavish trips and meals to influence lawmakers and their aides. One Senate staffer commented to me that she would not be surprised if some staffers began to leave the Hill as a result of some Senate offices already putting into place certain lobbying reforms; other qualified staffers may be scared away by the prospect of stricter laws.

Following the Abramoff scandal, many Americans--including financial executives--who are already skeptical about politicians are left wondering whether politicians and lobbyists can ever be completely ethical or whether most will get caught in the web of greed, power and wealth. In my, perhaps optimistic view, there will always be those that are ethical lobbyists and in office for the right reasons.

So, what is lobbying? According to the online Wikipedia directory, the term is said to have originated during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, whose habit was to drink brandy and smoke cigarettes while relaxing in the lobby of the Willard Hotel, where he was often approached by those seeking favors.

The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, which became Title III of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, defined a lobbyist as any person "who by himself, or through any agent or employee or other persons in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, solicits, collects, or received money or any other thing of value to be used principally ... to influence, directly or indirectly, the passage or defeat of any legislation by the Congress of the United States." Lobbyists were required to file quarterly reports on funds received or spent. The Supreme Court later defined the legislation more narrowly and exempted certain groups from this definition.

Most know that lobbying somehow involves the famous "K Street" in Washington, and that lobbyists visit Capitol Hill offices to communicate their client's views to politicians and impact legislation.

Lobbyists can help the organization or individual that doesn't understand the Washington process or doesn't have the time or resources to work within it, especially organizations that aren't based in Washington. The U.S. Senate Web page explains that lobbyists provide key information to their clients about introducing a bill correctly and contacting the best member of Congress on the most appropriate committee. Most importantly, lobbyists are expected to have valuable connections to staffers and Members of Congress.

Lobbyists also provide a voice of support and reason and administrative help in setting up meetings. Often, lobbyists organize grass-roots campaigns, making it easier for organizations and individuals to flood Congressional offices with opinion messages. They often will know more about individual issues than Senate or House staffers, simply because staffers cannot keep up with the tremendous amount of information on the wide variety of subjects they are expected to master. Thus, staffers will often depend on and contact lobbyists for their expertise.

The old quote "money is the root of all evil" is certainly as true in Washington as it is everywhere. As you are probably aware, FEI's Washington, D.C., staffers are advocates and not "lobbyists" as the term is used; FEI doesn't have a Political Action Committee (PAC). We seek to persuade Members of Congress and help them in ways that best support our members without the influence of money.

There is a debate between who actually runs the U.S. government. Some say it is Members of Congress, while others think it is lobbyists. There is also a factual discrepancy over the number of registered lobbyists. Most media sources, including CNN, USA Today and the Senate Office of Public Records, report some 32,000-37,000 lobbyists. However, the president of Columbia Books argued in a January article in The Washington Post that the correct number of registered lobbyists is more like 11,500 because the records don't reflect many people who have died, retired or otherwise left the profession.

When working ethically, lobbyists serve as a valuable link to insure that the democratic process works efficiently. Lobbying has been a part of the U.S. governmental process since its early days, and it can be an effective way for citizens to voice their concerns. We must continue to seek reform, whether it be through Democratic- or Republican-sponsored legislation. It is too valuable a process in our democracy, and there are too many ethical lobbyists to cause one scandal to weaken a profession.

Serena Davila ([e-mail]) is Director of Private Companies for FEI and is based in the Washington, D.C., office.

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