Remember Senator Blanche Lincoln (Ark-D)?

[No Elephants]

Monsanto Hires Former Sen. Blanche Lincoln As Lobbyist

Posted: 10/16/2013 5:26 pm EDT | Updated: 10/17/2013 2:39 pm EDT

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Lincoln's lobbying group has accrued several big-name corporate clients, including credit bureau Experian, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, Walmart, and Monsanto, the world’s leading producer of genetically engineered (GE) seed.

The petition highlights Monsanto’s recent involvement in defeating GMO-labeling measures, including Washington's Initiative 522, which would have mandated labels on groceries that contain genetically engineered ingredients.

The petition reads:

Lincoln’s lobbying firm has also hired her former staffer Robert Holifield -- who served as her staff director on the Senate Agriculture Committee when she was the committee chair -- as a partner at her lobbying firm. This shows that Senator Lincoln is going beyond using her own connections she developed as a Senator to cash in -- she’s actively recruiting former Congressional staff to boost her efforts to influence leaders on Capitol Hill. Monsanto is clearly already far too influential in the halls of Congress, as evidenced by the “Monsanto Protection Act.”

More at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/blanche-lincoln-monsanto_n_4275797.html


I don't think it goes far enough. Why should anyone cash in on connections developed at public expense, especially when that cashing in takes the form of shafting the public?


Gee, and it seems like only last week that Nancy Pelosi was assuring Jon Stewart that this kind of thing happened only in the Executive Branch.

In fairness, maybe she meant the syndrome of in government one term, in the private sector the next and back in government again later on. But the House and Senate to the lobbyist route is very prevalent to say the least.

[Enthusiast]

1. This is why I sent her primary opponent a donation.

Blue dogs are useless. Sometimes, the ones like Max Baucus are worse than useless.