Reply #8: it sound like our definition of "lobby" is different then

[Bacchus39]

taking kick backs, stealing government funds for personal enrichment, misuse of public funds, giving family members contracts is NOT lobbying.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2011/0805/Brazilian-President-Rousseff-ousts-another-cabinet-minister

http://en.mercopress.com/2011/09/15/fifth-cabinet-minister-drops-out-from-brazilian-cabinet-on-corruption-allegations

as far as I can tell, only the defense minister was dismissed essentially for criticizing other cabinet ministers.

Lobbying in the US means a particular interest attempts to get a congressman to vote or support something that favors that particular interest. It doesn't necessarily imply the corrupt actions I noted above.