To: "homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org" <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [Homestead] Want a voice? Send $$$$$ to DC Whorehouse managers
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 07:30:53 -0700
Special Report
Industry of Influence Nets Almost $13 Billion
Shadowy lobbyists ignore rules and exploit connections
By Alex Knott
WASHINGTON, April 7, 2005 Special interests and the lobbyists they employ
have reported spending, since 1998, a total of almost $13 billion to
influence Congress, the White House and more than 200 federal agencies.
They've hired a couple thousand former government officials to influence
federal policy on everything from abortion and adoption to taxation and
welfare. And they've filedmost of the timethousands of pages of
disclosure forms with the Senate Office of Public Records and the House
Clerk's Office.
Washington's lobbyists reported billing $2.4 billion in 2003, the most
recent year for which complete data exist. That figure will almost
certainly go up to more than $3 billion in 2004.