Lobbying Labyrinth in McCain Camp (Rick Davis Lobbying Connections)

The New York Times ^ | May 25, 2008 | Barry Meier

[TADSLOS]

Rick Davis, the manager of Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, is a typical Washington insider in many ways, having long worked as both a lobbyist and a political operative along the intersection of politics, policy and money.

Now Mr. Davis is overseeing new lobbyist-related guidelines that the campaign has issued in an effort to safeguard Mr. McCain’s reputation as an opponent of special interests. The plan, among other things, bars “registered” lobbyists, those who must file disclosure reports listing their clients, from working on the campaign.

Mr. Davis, who last worked as a registered lobbyist in 2005 and took a leave from his lobbying firm in 2006, appears to meet those guidelines. Still, his own business dealings in recent years — roles that include consultant and investor — extend beyond lobbying and illustrate the limits of the guidelines in defining what it means to be selling expertise and helping to provide access.

Take Mr. Davis’s involvement with one of his lesser-known lobbying clients, an Israeli company, Imagesat, which sells satellite imagery. Along with lobbying for it, Mr. Davis became a consultant to a private investment firm that had a financial stake in it. That connection opened the door for him to get in on the ground floor of other investments made by the firm, Pegasus Capital Advisors.

The subject of one of Pegasus Capital’s investments also may have come up between Mr. Davis and a controversial Russian industrialist in 2006, around the time Mr. Davis helped arrange a social gathering at which the businessman met Mr. McCain.

[TADSLOS]

Yes, I know it's the NYT. How can McCain have a campaign manager that has extensive and long standing ties and experience as a lobbyist and not follow through on his own policies? Is McCain stupid, exceedingly arrogant or both? Is this they way he intends to act as POTUS?

[Fox_Mulder77]

I don’t see a problem here. I like lobbyists. And I think this call by Obama to restrict lobbying is dangerous.
The lobbyists aren’t the problem............ corrupt politicians are the problem.

[PA-RIVER]

Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes.

[mnehring]

Ditto.
Lobbyists in general aren’t bad, some individuals may be, some causes may be, and some politicians, but they overall are an important part of the political process.

[AuntB]

“The lobbyists aren’t the problem............ corrupt politicians are the problem.”

Most of the lobbyists ARE politicians, former congressmen. It’s kind of a ‘chicken vs. egg’ thing.

[calcowgirl]

Mr. McCain met the Russian aluminum magnate, Oleg Deripaska, who has been barred from entering the United States apparently because of alleged criminal ties.

Such fine company he keeps.