D.C. shifts federal lobbying strategy, ends contracts with outside firms

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

The District has shifted its approach toward lobbying the federal government, quietly ending the city’s contracts with a pair of outside firms after paying more than $300,000 for their services in the last two years.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s administration decided to sever relationships with the law and lobbying firm Van Ness Feldman and solo lobbyist Mitch Butler, an Interior official in the George W. Bush administration, that were begun in 2009 under previous mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D).

Another firm, Patton Boggs, ended its work for the District in October after earning $150,000 over three years, meaning the Fenty administration spent at least $450,000 on federal lobbying services overall.

Gray (D) will instead manage the city’s relationship with the federal government in-house and has no plans to hire any other outside lobbyists.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-shifts-lobbying-strategy-ends-contracts-with-outside-firms/2011/09/22/gIQA7XUWuK_singlePage.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. There's a trend I can support...ending contractor jobs.

[No Elephants]

2. If you have a megaphone, as does the Mayor of D.C., what honest thing could a lobbying firm add?