Posted on 11/19/2004 8:28:38 PM PST by gab1279
Scores of soon-to-be-unemployed Democrats fear that their party’s electoral defeat could hinder their ability to find work on K Street, a traditional safe haven and source of employment for Capitol Hill staff.
At a time when many Democrats are anxious about their ability to earn a living, some even fear that a conspiracy to blacklist aides to certain Democrats, such as Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), could be afoot.
Daschle, who is reviled by many congressional Republicans for his efforts to stop GOP initiatives and judicial nominees in the Senate, was defeated in this month’s election by former Rep. John Thune (R-S.D.).
Some Democrats, still singed by Sen. John Kerry’s defeat in the presidential election and party losses in the House and Senate, even suggested that House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) might be behind an effort to convince K Street firms to think twice before hiring Daschle staff.
Several Democratic aides said that a midsize Washington lobbying firm, the Alpine Group, declined last week to hire a Daschle staffer with whom the group had been in long-standing discussions about a possible job. They said the Daschle aide, who The Hill agreed not to name, believed he would get the job based on conversations with the firm about three months before the election.
According to one Senate aide familiar with the situation, the firm told the Daschle aide, “This is a cold town for Democrats. It’s especially cold for Daschle’s staff.” Asked whether DeLay or any of his associates had specifically conveyed a message to the firm, the Senate aide said, “The implication was that DeLay had put the word out that Daschle staff should not be hired.”
The Daschle aide did not contact The Hill about this story, nor did he return a call seeking comment. Daschle’s office declined to comment. None of the Democratic sources could name a specific DeLay associate who conveyed the message to the firm.
Nevertheless, anxiety among Capitol Hill Democrats was running so high last week that talk of a DeLay effort against Daschle staff spread to a number of Hill staff and Democratic lobbyists.
Several senior Senate Democratic aides and Democratic lobbyists contacted by The Hill were familiar with the situation involving the Daschle staffer and with talk on K Street that DeLay had discouraged hiring of Daschle aides.
“We have heard from two different Republican lobbyists that this is true,” said one Senate Democratic aide. The aide cited the “K Street Project,” an effort to get firms to eschew Democrats and hire Republicans to top posts at major Washington associations, and reported GOP efforts to punish the Motion Picture Association of America for hiring former Clinton administration Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman as its head, saying the efforts had deliberately created a sense of paranoia on K Street against hiring Democrats.
However, some Democratic sources were questioning whether there was any such organized effort.
DeLay spokesman Stuart Roy said, “Tom DeLay has been the subject of more urban myths than Karl Rove, Elvis and Mikey from Life cereal combined.
“The patently false rumor du jour is that the leader somehow ‘sent the word’ to K Street not to hire defeated Senator Tom Daschle’s staff. My request to any journalist who wishes to print such completely untrue gossip is to consider the source and then ask anonymous accusers trafficking in this rumor exactly who on our staff has sent out such a message. We wish all former Daschle staffers full employment.” [SNIP]
Democratic job-seekers face an acute problem this year, with numerous Hill staffers who worked for Kerry’s campaign now looking for work. Most of Daschle’s leadership staff also is on the market, with few places to secure a soft landing. New Democratic “527” groups are expected to ramp down now that the election is over. [SNIP]
One of the few people hiring Democrats in town is incoming Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.). But Reid plans to bring in his own people, according to aides.
Read more at hillnews.com...
And Tom DeLay's response to "The Hill" about this story...
From House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas):
The Hill’s Nov. 16 story “Dems fear lobbying backlash” simply isn’t true. It’s not a “miscommunication,” or “he said/she said,” or “open to interpretation.” It’s a fabrication. You were lied to and used by those very same liars.
The story — if I followed it correctly — “reports” on the “fear” of “certain Democrats” of a “conspiracy” that I “might be behind” to “blacklist” on K Street soon-to-be-unemployed staffers of defeated Sen. Tom Daschle [D-S.D.].
Not to put too fine a point on it, but are you kidding me?
The Hill didn’t get spun on this one; you got played. You were lied to and leapt at the chance to print the lies. The sad thing is that this was not just an example of journalistic integrity breaking down. It was that this particular lie was so juicy, so dishy, that it just “deserved to be true.”
Ultimately, the truth was nothing more than a distraction that might get in the way of an irresistible rumor.
Is it too much to ask that an allegation with as many possible ramifications as this one have some level of verification? No news organization with serious aspirations should allow itself to be used by transparently self-interested rumor mongers.
dang, I noticed the same thing. Reid may be smart. He did sound accommodating but Daschl always sounded the same.
I must be hateful, but this story sort of cheered me up and made me wanta sing!
You are hilarious.
It is going to get rough in the next congress. I am dreading a Supreme Court appointment almost as much as I dreaded the election.
But is it just me and my inability to think like a blue state,,,I think the dems are really hurting themselves post election. Kerry's endless excuses, the entire left acting like sore losermen. It seems to me they are nailiing in their own coffin lids.
I changed my tag line to be more "in the loop",,
And Newt was innocent but innocence avails nothing in today's climate. Improper book advance indeed! What did you say about Hillary's advance? Even if you did speak out consistently, it matters not because the MSM does not quote you extensively, nor anyone else on Newt's side or Delay's or Trent Lott's. In these matters smash mouth is the only winning strategy.
I was just as critical of Hillary as Newt and the double standard.
Obviously, the rule was passed in a bit of politics, and was a bad thing. Since I can't turn back time, I do hope that fixing the rule can be clearly demonstrated to the public as the right thing to do, not expedience.
Thanks to those who provided insight on the topic.
What did Newt do that deserved him to be unhorsed? If we give in to the MSM - DEMs axis and accede to their phony self righteousness we cannot win. Hillary was worse than Newt. Byrd was worse than Lott. Of these four, who remains in power?
Facts do not matter in this any more than precedent facts or law matter in the 9th circuit.
Well, Capt.
You were wrong about Newt too.
and equivocating DeLay and Newt with Jim Wright.
whattaya bet freepers ready to shite on DeLay are not exactly righties in the culture war?
no one can be that naive unless on purpose.
We had to know they'd do this when he said he was going to introduce legislation on the 'Fair Tax".
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