Biden, despite rhetoric to the contrary, rakes in lobbyist cash
Timothy P. Carney
President Joe Biden has repeatedly pledged not to take campaign contributions from lobbyists, but his latest campaign filing shows plenty of lobbyists and influence peddlers among his donors.
Biden, it seems, does try to avoid donations from currently registered federal lobbyists, which was also the policy of his former boss, Barack Obama. This leaves plenty of wiggle room. Obama, for instance, raked in plenty of cash from state-level lobbyists, spouses of lobbyists, owners and executives at lobbying firms, and lobbyists who simply didn’t admit they were lobbyists.
NO SPECIAL TAX BREAKS FOR BLUE STATE REPUBLICANS
What was true of Obama is true of Joe Biden. State-level lobbyists, former lobbyists, unregistered lobbyists, and executives of lobbying firms are all donating to Biden’s reelection, his July 15 campaign finance filing reveals.
Minnesota lobbyist Jeffery Anderson represents hospitals and plenty of local governments. Linda Russell leads the charge against school choice in Florida as the lobbyist for the Florida Education Association, and she’s a Biden donor. California casino lobbyist and real estate developer Darius Anderson has given Biden the maximum $6,600.
“Lobbyist” has been Jennifer Mello’s job for nearly two decades, according to her LinkedIn profile. She is currently a registered lobbyist in Colorado, and her clients include the American Clean Power Association, a corporate consortium that seeks state and federal subsidies, healthcare companies, and gambling interests that lobby to expand sports betting. Fellow Colorado lobbyist Mara Sheldon, who lobbies for banks, marijuana, and healthcare companies, is another Biden donor.
Biden donor Marie Kissel is not a registered lobbyist, but she is the Vice President of Government Affairs for an international healthcare company called Baxter, which spends more than $2.5 million a year lobbying the federal government. Erica Jacquez runs Verizon’s lobbying shop in Southern California and donated to Biden.
Biden donor Sam Lautner is a named partner at “Barnes Mosher Whitehurst Lauter and Partners,” a firm that provides clients with “direct lobbying services, community and grassroots organizing, media relations, and guidance through bureaucracies,” according to his LinkedIn profile.
Patrick Dillon, a longtime Democratic operative and Biden donor, is not registered to lobby, but is a partner at Hilltop Public Solutions, a firm that bills itself as “help[ing] our clients inject their voices into local policy debates.”
Kenny Thompson is a Biden donor and the Chief Public Affairs Officer at Vail Resorts, where he’s in charge of “government engagement” and oversees government relations.
Biden donor Diego Sanchez is the director of advocacy at PFLAG, a gay-rights activist group. Cristobal Alex is not a registered lobbyist, but he directs the DC office at the lobbying firm Tusk Strategies. Alex has given at least $5,000 to Biden’s reelection.
Maxed-out Biden donor Bill Smith is a partner at Civitas Public Affairs, a registered lobbying firm, which brags, “We are at the helm of shaping public policy at the local, state, and federal levels.”
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Many Biden donors de-registered as lobbyists shortly before donating to him, either in the 2020 cycle or his current reelection. Stuart Eizenstat was a registered lobbyist through 2019, and he still runs the international practice at his lobbying/law firm, Covington & Burling. He has given the maximum to Biden’s reelection.
Reginald Turner was a lobbyist registered to represent an automaker until mid-2022. He donated to Biden’s campaign the following Spring.