The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 has three tests: 1) Do you make more than $3,000 over three months from lobbying? 2) Have you had more than one lobbying contact? 3) Have you spent more than 20 percent of your time lobbying for a single client over three months?
Many prominent influence-peddlers do not actually meet with lawmakers or federal officials themselves. They provide "strategic advice" on how to navigate Washington - whom to see, while other members of their firms do the face-to-face lobbying work. (This is how Mr. Gingrich made most of his millions.) Disclosure, however, does not stanch the pipeline of money from the lobby industry. Congress has shown little interest in tightening these requirements, in part because lawmakers don't want to close off a lucrative career in lobbying after they leave office. More than 400 former lawmakers have become lobbyists or consultants |