rssPosts by Lindsay Beyerstein
Pfizer Exec’s Tips for ‘Managing’ Journalists
Influence comes in many forms. Often, influencing the influencers is a smart strategy. Free food never hurts, either.
The head of public relations for the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer makes free food a centerpiece of his “tips for managing journalists” an industry conference, Advertising Age reports.
Bailed Out Banks Give to Pols’ Favorite Charities
Charitable giving is a time-honored strategy for turning money into influence. If you don’t want to give money to a politician’s PAC, try making a contribution to his or her favorite charity. Charitable donations are harder to trace than political contributions and they have the added bonus of burnishing More…
Abramoff Associate/MSNBC Commentator Charged
The fallout from the Jack Abramoff scandal continues…
Lobbyist Todd Boulanger was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with tickets and meals he lavished upon public officials at the behest of his then-boss, the disgraced über-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff.
Women’s Lobby Loses Birth Control Battle, Wins Stimulus War
Feminist outrage is making headlines today as women’s groups react to President Obama’s last-minute move to to eliminate a portion of the stimulus package that would have made it easier for states to expand birth control coverage through Medicaid.
The loss of the birth control provision came as a More…
Lobbying Is Recession-Proof
The lobbying industry enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2008, according to a report by the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-profit that tracks money in politics:
Bailout Money Fighting the Employee Free Choice Act?
The $700 billion bank bailout was supposed to stabilize banks and get them lending again. However, some of the recipients seem more interested in rallying big business against the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier for workers to unionize.
Sam Stein reports in The Huffington More…
Women’s Groups See Success in Stimulus
National women’s rights advocacy groups are using their newfound political clout with the Obama administration to shape the $825 billion economic stimulus package.
In late 2008, when the debate over the stimulus bill was in full swing, many feminists feared that the package would shortchange women by focusing job creation More…
Help Wanted: Top Evangelical Lobbyist, Message Discipline a Must
National Association of Evangelicals is in the market for a new top lobbyist, according to The Christian Post. The job description includes a very unusual qualification for a lobbying gig … sincerity:
Required qualifications include, among others, personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, agreement to
Gates: Ethics is a Barrier to Advancement at the Pentagon
Lara Jakes buries the lead in her story about all the money ex-Raytheon lobbyist Bill Lynn will make if he sells his company stock to take the No. 2 spot at the Pentagon:
Testifying before the Senate panel Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said stringent ethics rules are a
Private Equity Lobby Won’t Take Side on Employee Free Choice Act
The premiere lobby group representing the private equity industry has surprised many observers by staying neutral in the epic battle between business and labor over the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would dramatically alter the rules for forming a union.
Unions support the bill because it would More…
