AP Newsbreak: Lobbyists, political strategists, talked health care at White House
AP Newsbreak: Health interests’ White House visits
WASHINGTON — Records obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press show top aides to President Barack Obama met early and often with lobbyists, Democratic political strategists and other interests with a stake in a national health care overhaul.
The White House on Wednesday provided AP with 575 health care-related visitor records covering the period from January through August.
The records show senior Obama adviser David Axelrod held what was described as a “communications message meeting” on March 13 with 18 people, including several prominent Democratic strategists. Democratic pollsters Joel Benenson, Stanley Greenberg and Celinda Lake met with Jim Messina, the White House deputy chief of staff, on July 17 at a gathering attended by 27 people.
The list also includes the heads of Kaiser Health Plans, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the American Hospital Association, the drug industry lobby PhRMA, and several health industry lobbyists.
Filed under Government | Tags: Barack Obama, District Of Columbia, Lobbying, North America, Political Issues, United States, Washington | Comment Below
