True or False? Edwards Doesn't Accept Lobbyists Contributions.

[HFishbine]

CONTRIBTORS TO JOHN EDWARDS
--------------------------

DEWEY SQUARE GROUP
Lobbying firm for AT&T
3/28/2003
$1,950
BALDICK, NICHOLAS
6/30/2003
$500
3 additional contributions totaling $950

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?2003412185REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=dewey&txtCand=edwards%2C+john&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N


BAKER BOTTS
Lobbying firm for American Airlines, American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, Entergy Services and Hyundai Motor Co.
9/30/2003
$500
Amis, R.

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?200345118REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=baker&txtCand=edwards&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

BAKER & McKENZIE
Lobbying firm for Allied Mineral Products, Intelest, Mid-Atlantic Energy Group, Natl Music Publishers Assn. and others.
6/23/2003
$1,000
Quan, David

BROWNSTEIN HYATT & FARBER
Lobbyists for AT&T, First Data Corp, Merrill Lynch, Oilexchange, Ticketmaster and others.
11/15/2001
$1,000
BROWNSTEIN HYATT


http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?200345142REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=baker&txtCand=edwards&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

SKADDEN ARPS ET AL/ATTORNEY
Lobbying firm for AOL-Time Warner, AX The Double Taxation Coalition, Bethlehem Steel, Bond Market Assoc., Corning, Entergy, Global Crossing, News Corp., US Airways, US Steel, Verizon Communication and others.
11/30/2001
$1,000
BENNETT, ROBERT S
6/9/2003
$250
SMITH, MARY
3/13/2003
$4,000
LYONS, JAMES E

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?2003435560REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=SKADDEN&txtCand=edwards&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N


STONEBRIDGE INTL
Lobbying firm for Airbus, Bartimpex, Conocophillips, and others.
6/30/2003
$2,000
BERGER, SAMUEL

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?2003476797REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=STONEBRIDGE+&txtCand=edwards&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

REED SMITH LLP
Lobbying firm for Abbot Laboratories, Bank of America, Brick Industry Assoc. and more
From 7/17/2002 to present
11 contributions totaling $4,950

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?2003432932REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=reed+smith&txtCand=edwards&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

WOMBLE CARLYLE SANDRIDGE & RICE, PLLC
Lobbying firm for Fedex, RF Micro Devices, SAS INstitute and others.
From 9/9/1999 to present
68 contributions totaling $40,350

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?2003453505REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=womble&txtCand=edwards%2C+john&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY
Lobbying firm for RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co.
3/26/2003
$2,000
ROLLINS, VICTORIA

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_viewer.exe?2003441443REG~0

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=WILLIAMS&txtCand=edwards%2C+john&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N


One hour's worth of research.

[lastknowngood]

1. If your a

politician you take bribes errra contributions the only way to grade one is to check their voting before and then again after receiving the cash.

[HFishbine]

2. We're grading Edward's truthfullness

He's been on the campaign trail saying he doesn't accept contributions from lobbyists.

"This government, this democracy, does not belong to that crowd of insiders in Washington, D.C. It belongs to you," Edwards said. "We ought to cut (lobbyists) off at the knees. We ought to ban them from making political contributions."

Edwards repeats often during his campaign stops that does not take money from political action committees (although watchdog groups like the Center for Public Integrity note his Senate campaign in 1998 received a lot of money from the North Carolina law community). When he does it, he taps into the always-lingering distrust and dislike of Washington politics.

Sunday, January 18, 2004

http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1413,105~4746~1899250,00.html

[Very Good Dem]

3. This is GROSSLY misleading!

The links you cite show that each of these contributions were from INDIVIDUALS, none of whom are registered lobbyists. Yes, they each work for firms that are registered as lobbyists but with a couple of exceptions, they are all LAW FIRMS that, as part but not all or even most of their practice, do lobbying. But none of these individuals is a lobbyist, and none of them do any lobbying on behalf of these firms or their clients.

John Edwards has NEVER taken PAC money or donations from lobbyists. Just last week, he signed a pledge to this effect and urged the other candidates to do the same.

Has YOUR candidate agreed not to accept any PAC or lobbyist money?

[HFishbine]

4. I'm sorry, you are wrong

The list above includes registered lobbyists.

It also includes contributions from individuals within lobbying firms who gave to Edwards.

[Very Good Dem]

8. What registered lobbyists are listed as contributors?

[HFishbine]

5. I'm sorry, you're wrong part II

"John Edwards has NEVER taken PAC money or donations from lobbyists."

Please inform yourself about your candidate.

http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:tmR7-Mh4dc4J:www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/6329784.htm+edwards+contributions+lobbyists&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Very Good Dem]

10. I guess you missed the part where he RETURNED the contributions

when he discovered where they came from.

[HFishbine]

13. Sorry, that's incorrect

He returned some lobbyists contributions last summer when the Charlotte Observer caught him in this lie the first time. The contributions cited above have not been returned.

[Very Good Dem]

17. That's because the contributions you cited AREN'T FROM LOBBYISTS!

[Very Good Dem]

11. I guess you missed the part where he RETURNED the contributions

when he discovered where they came from.

[spooky3]

15. He/she also seemed to overlook these paragraphs...

""There may be donations from folks that lobby state governments," Palmieri wrote, responding to an e-mailed question. "Since Senator Edwards doesn't represent state governments, there is no conflict for him in accepting money from state lobbyists. If any of our donations are from Washington lobbyists, we will return them.""

"The lobbyists' money in Edwards' accounts is a tiny fraction of the thousands of donors and nearly $12 million Edwards' campaign has attracted."

He has also been quite clear recently, as some here have criticized him for, in saying he doesn't take $ from *DC* lobbyists, not *all* lobbyists.

[Cheswick2.0]

6. So he Lies again?

First he lies about staying positive and then he lies about being a lobby free candidate. He can't possibly beat bush.

[Bombtrack]

7. he's taken money from people who HAVE BEEN lobbyists

but he has never taken any from lobbyists.

[HFishbine]

9. Sorry, that's incorrect

Please follow the link above.

[Very Good Dem]

12. Your list does not show any contributions from lobbyists

[HFishbine]

14. I'll let the informatino speak for itself

I think the truth is easy enough to discern.

[spooky3]

16. Rather than bash other candidates and try to mislead DUers, why

don't you spend your time making a good argument as to why we should support your candidate?

[Very Good Dem]

18. In other words, you can't back up your claim

because you know good and well that the contributions you cited came from INDIVIDUALS, not lobbyists.

[dolstein]

19. I just contributed to Edwards today online . . . .

and one of the boxes I had to check said that I was not a registered lobbyist.

Now I suppose it's possible that some people who have contributed to Edwards' campaign lied about not being lobbyists. I don't think it's reasonable to expect any campaign to confirm the accuracy of these representations.

As for the information you cite, all that provides is that some of the people who contributed to Edwards worked for firms that were involved in lobbying. But it doesn't mean that the individuals who actually contributed to Edwards were themselves lobbyists. I'm a lawyer, and some of the firms that you list are HUGE law firms with hundreds of attorneys and a diverse practice, only a portion of which involves lobbying.

Sorry, but you just don't have the goods on Edwards. Better luck next time.

[Very Good Dem]

23. Thank you!

:toast:

[AP]

25. If you like Edwards MORE after reading HFishbine's posts, please consider

donating through my link below (I've raised over 150 bucks today!)

[AP]

26. He'd like to see lobbyists go out of business too.

[Julien Sorel]

20. Swing and a miss!

Too bad this isn't baseball -- you'd have been out of strikes about 10 months ago.

[yaledem]

21. #1 Target - Edwards has officially arrived!!!

This lobbyist stuff has been gone over again, and again, and again. He has never taken money from a Washington lobbist. (never, i.e. $0.00)

Edwards supporters, rejoice: our candidate has finally arrived, and is now the # 1 target of attacks. The great thing is, all they can come up with is "uhh, he was a trial lawyer" or "he took money from lawyers who work at 100+ lawyer firms that have a few lobbyists in them" or "his campaign had an internal memo that said why Edwards was better than other candidates (which was not even used)" I'm giddy as I type this.

[ozone_man]

22. Edwards out does Bush in this category.

Mostly lawyers I presume. Kerry is next after Bush. I can't accept someone who has been funded by this much money from lawyers, it's obscene. And then there's Kerry, trying to buy the presidency with $6M of his own money. This is not a Democracy.

1
Edwards, John (D)
Pres
$7,449,190

2
Bush, George W (R)
Pres
$6,299,340

3
Kerry, John (D)
Pres
$3,302,899

4
Gephardt, Richard A (D)
Pres
$2,074,963

5
Lieberman, Joe (D)
Pres
$1,588,296

6
Dean, Howard (D)
Pres
$979,481

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.asp?Ind=K

[Very Good Dem]

27. LOL!

Yep, it's outrageous for the people who know Edwards best - his peers and colleagues - to think so highly of him they're willing to contribute to his campaign.

Yes, Edwards has truly arrived!

[yaledem]

28. Edwards raised money. He must be punished!!!

That 7+ million was all from individuals. Not washington lobbyists. Not PACs. You're bashing Edwards because he raised MORE than Bush in a certain occupational category? You ought to be praising him. lol

[goodhue]

24. He doesn't take PAC money! n/t

[yaledem]

29. Edwards and Kucinich's Donors have the LOWEST avg. incomes.

Avg. Donor Income:

Joseph I Lieberman #1 $74.5k
John F Kerry #2 $71.9k
George W Bush #3 $66.7k
Wesley Clark #4 $64.4k
Richard A Gephardt #5 $64.3k
Howard Dean #6 $62.5k
Alfred C Sharpton #7 $60.5k
John Edwards #8 $58.8k
Dennis J Kucinich #9 $58.0k
Carol Moseley Braun #10 $55.8k


Source: http://www.fundrace.org/avgInc.html

[Renew Deal]

30. Dean accepts money from Halliburton Board members

http://tinyurl.com/uqt9

I looked up Halliburton's board of directors. Full list here:
www halliburton com/about/board_of_dir.jsp

Robert Crandall, $2,000 to Dean (over three donations). His background is actually American Airlines. He's retired. No other donations in 2004, although he did donate to George W. and Bob Kerrey (D-NE) in 1999, and John Mica (R-FL) in 2002.

Ray Hunt gave to George W.
J Landis Martin and Jay Precourt, gave to a bunch of Republicans.

No other directors showed up in a 2004 name-by-name search. No other Democrats did, either.

So, the pubbie was correct, but whether it means anything beyond "he liked W. last time, he likes Dean now" is still uncertain.

Presented by the Federal Election Commission

Individual Contributions Arranged By Type, Giver, Then Recipient

Contributions to Political Committees

CRANDALL, ROBERT
DALLAS, TX 75219
NOT EMPLOYED/RETIRED

DEAN, HOWARD
VIA DEAN FOR AMERICA
03/23/2003 500.00 23990741414
06/18/2003 500.00 23991380622
08/17/2003 1000.00 23992098031