John Boehner's Boys-Only Lobbyist Golfing Buddies

[Lunabelle]

Want some face time with the speaker of the House? Try being a corporate lobbyist at one of America's most exclusive country clubs.

—By Andy Kroll

Tue Aug. 16, 2011 3:00 AM PDT

In 2005, Golf Digest magazine featured John Boehner—then a rising star among House Republicans, today the speaker of the House—as one of Congress' sharpest shooters on the links. Despite committee leadership positions, Boehner still found time to log 100 or more rounds a year, often mixing politics and the putting green. "If someone I've gotten to know on the golf course comes into my office with a good argument," he said, "I tend to want to listen."
Want to know more about Boehner's guys-only golf club? MoJo's editors took on the topic in our last issue. Read Monika Bauerlein and Clara Jeffery on Boehner's real handicap.

A lobbyist looking to twist Boehner's arm could do worse than the Burning Tree Club outside Washington, DC, a male-only, hyper-exclusive country club that has counted presidents, Supreme Court justices, and powerful lawmakers—including Speaker Boehner—among its members. When it can, Burning Tree closely guards its member list, giving few clues about the men playing with the movers and shakers of Washington. But according to member information obtained by Political Correction, an affiliate of the liberal media watchdog group Media Matters for America, Burning Tree's regulars include lobbyists for some of the most powerful corporations in America—and that membership gives them access to the most powerful man in Congress.

In the past decade, more than 70 lobbyists have belonged to Burning Tree, which caps total members at around 600 and charges a $75,000 initiation fee and $6,000 a year in dues. (In your dreams, regular duffers.) According to Political Correction, those lobbyists have represented Goldman Sachs, Koch Industries, the US Chamber of Commerce, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, health insurance giant Aetna, Northrop Grumman, Chevron Texaco, and Bank of America, among others.

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/08/john-boehner-burning-tree-lobby

[Angry Dragon]

1. Speaking of golf and the weeping boner

Spring Hill Golf Club, located in Wayzata, is expecting Speaker of the House John Boehner on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 to host a fundraiser for Republican House members from Minnesota, John Kline, Erik Paulsen, Chip Cravaack and Michele Bachmann.

According to www.golflink.com the 18-hole "Spring Hill" course at the Spring Hill Golf Club facility in Wayzata, Minnesota off of County Road 6 features 7,020 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72.

The Spring Hill Golf Club course opened in 1999 and is currently managed by Jeff Kringen.

Minnesota Public Radio News announced that the invitation they received read $10,000 for golfing with the Speaker of the House with lunch or $1,000 for lunch with the Speaker.

http://www.wayzata.com/2011/08/john-boehner-expected-to-visit-spring.html


UPDATE: http://lakeminnetonka.patch.com/articles/hundreds-protest-outside-gop-fundraiser-in-wayzata

Protestors calling for an end to military operations overseas, tax reform, job creation and an end to Wall Street special treatment gathered in front of the Wayzata Country Club Wednesday.

Speaker of the House John Boehner, Congresswoman Michelle Bachman and other featured guests reportedly used a service road to enter the golf course and did not pass by the protestors on their way in.

It was originally announced that Wednesday's fundraiser was to take place at the Spring Hill Golf Club in Orono, but protestors and media got wind at about 10 a.m. that the event would actually be taking place in Wayzata.

Tickets to attend the fundraiser were $1,000 per plate, and $10,000 was supposed to buy a round a golf with Speaker Boehner—although he was not spotted on the course by 12:15 p.m.