Lobbyists, allies meet with White House officials to seek end to stimulus lobbying limits

August 28th, 2009 STIMULUS WATCH: US discloses few lobbyist meetingsPresident Barack Obama ordered federal officials to disclose their contacts with lobbyists trying to influence how the government doles out money to jump-start the economy. Yet few such communications have been reported even though lobbyists say they are busier than ever with the multibillion-dollar stimulus.

July 8th, 2009 L'AQUILA, Italy — The White House says it's not quite time for industrialized nations to pull the plug on economic stimulus efforts. Economic adviser Mike Froman said Wednesday that world leaders gathered at a G-8 summit in Italy will seek a balance between continuing to stimulate sluggish economies and looking for exit strategies.

June 17th, 2009 Some say GM, Chrysler should stop lobbyingWASHINGTON — If the government is your boss, you shouldn't be lobbying it. That's the argument critics are using against General Motors Corp.

June 8th, 2009 Obama's Day: President, Cabinet meet on stimulusWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, back in Washington from Europe and the Middle East, is turning his focus to domestic policy. He'll be meeting Monday with his Cabinet on implementing the economic Recovery Act.

June 8th, 2009 White House defends optimistic stimulus modelWASHINGTON — The White House is defending the overly optimistic economic models it used to justify the historic stimulus plan. Four months after the stimulus was passed, unemployment is far higher than expected and continuing to rise.

June 4th, 2009 Bankrupt GM fires its outside lobbyistsWASHINGTON — General Motors says it has terminated contracts with the dozen lobbying firms it has used to help make its case in the capital. The now-bankrupt company has long been one of the biggest spenders in Washington on lobbying, reporting expenditures of $2.8 million for the first three months of this year.

May 30th, 2009 White House rewrites curbs on lobbying stimulusWASHINGTON — The White House issued new rules Friday broadening some of its restrictions on lobbying for projects in the economic stimulus package, but retreating on others. All people will now be forbidden to have oral conversations with administration officials about some of the projects they are seeking from the $787 billion package.

May 12th, 2009 THE INFLUENCE GAME: New curbs slow lobbying, a bitWASHINGTON — Lobbyist Elizabeth Moeller knew Energy Department officials wouldn't let her press them for an economic stimulus project for a California company hoping to turn algae into energy. So she did the next best thing: After a lot of coaching, she sent the client.

May 12th, 2009 THE INFLUENCE GAME: Lobbyists seek to avoid curbsWASHINGTON — Lobbyist Elizabeth Moeller knew Energy Department officials wouldn't let her press them for an economic stimulus project for a California company hoping to turn algae into energy. So she did the next best thing: After a lot of coaching, she sent the client.

May 12th, 2009 THE INFLUENCE GAME: Lobbying curbs impact unevenWASHINGTON — Lobbyist Elizabeth Moeller knew Energy Department officials wouldn't let her press them for an economic stimulus project for a California company hoping to turn algae into energy. So she did the next best thing: After a lot of coaching, she sent the client.

May 3rd, 2009 THE INFLUENCE GAME: Lobbyists prosper in downturnWASHINGTON — They're furloughing many city workers for eight days this summer. They've cut staffing by about 5 percent.

May 1st, 2009 Feds to toss charges against pro-Israel lobbyistsALEXANDRIA, Va. — Federal prosecutors are moving to dismiss espionage-related charges against two former pro-Israel lobbyists who had been accused of disclosing classified defense information.

April 25th, 2009 Groups ask White House to ease lobbying limitsWASHINGTON — Lobbyists and public interest groups asked White House officials on Friday to drop their ban on lobbyists discussing economic stimulus projects with Obama administration officials, but got no promises the policy would change, participants said. President Barack Obama issued the prohibition last month, saying he wanted to prevent lobbyists from influencing how the $787 billion economic stimulus package is spent.

March 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - The National Journal has in a non-partisan analysis found that 30 of the 267 senior Obama administration officials have served as lobbyists in the preceding five years. According to the Washington Times, Obama once promised that if he was elected president "lobbyists won't find a job in my White House." Government watchdogs questioned this promise when William Lynn was brought on to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Defense, a former lobbyist for Raytheon.

January 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - On his first day in the oval office, President Barack Obama launched efforts to revive the economy, summoned his war council to chart a new course in Iraq and plunged into Middle East diplomacy. 'What an opportunity we have to change this country,' he said Wednesday signing a series of executive orders to promote his vision of 'a government that truly is of, and by, the American people.' Obama who has pledged to take bold steps to revive the economy, presided over the White House meeting on the economy as a House moved toward approval of $358 billion in new spending, part of the economic stimulus package making its way to his desk.