Obama adds state lobbyist

[Alamom]

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070809/NEWS10/708090335/1016/NEWS

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Obama adds state lobbyist

ANJEANETTE DAMON
Posted: 8/9/2007


Despite intensifying his rhetoric against Washington lobbyists controlling the political system, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama announced Wednesday the addition of a state lobbyist to his campaign's Nevada steering committee.

Las Vegas lobbyist Helen Foley joins two other veteran state lobbyists, Rose McKinney-James and Billy Vassiliadis, who play senior advising roles with the campaign in Nevada, an important early caucus state.

Vassiliadis, the most prominent of the group, is a longtime Democratic operative who has been a fixture in many statewide campaigns. He's also a registered lobbyist at the Nevada Legislature, representing some of the state's largest companies.Although Vassiliadis is not a registered federal lobbyist, his firm, R&R Partners, has a Washington, D.C., branch that lobbies Congress.

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A skirmish among Democratic presidential candidates over lobbyist contributions began Saturday when U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., was booed at a forum before national bloggers for saying she would continue to accept lobbyist money.
Since then, Obama has been using his campaign stops to press the issue, trying to position Clinton as beholden to lobbyists and himself as the champion of change.

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But Vassiliadis' firm lists Pfizer as a client, advertising on its Web site that is has worked with "state legislators, governor's office, and state agencies ... to protect and promote Pfizer's position as a leading drug manufacturer."

[journalist3072]

1. K&R for the hypocrisy. eom

[SaveElmer]

2. Thread the needle Barack...nt

[draft_mario_cuomo]

3. Nice timing by the Obama campaign... nt

[Zueda]

4. OH NOES!!!!

How much money did he take from this guy!?!?

[Connie_Corleone]

5. Nothing.

[Zueda]

6. Phewww!

They had me going there for while! :puffpiece:

[Perky]

7. You folks do not understand how the caucus system really works.

It about getting endorsements, mailing lists and organization,


You hire instate lobbyist to make connections and understand the political winds in the state.... there is nothing wrongs with wanting to connect with those who can connect you to the power infrastructure....It is vastly different than a lobbyist paying the candidate.


It is not hypocrisy.... It how elections are always fought

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

8. I'm going to see him tomorrow

I live in Vegas and he is coming to speak - if I get the chance I will ask him specifically about this.

For the record, I haven't selected a candidate yet. Since I live in Nevada and they are all coming through here, I plan on seeing them all before I choose.