WASHINGTON DC — “Practically every industry and special interest area hires lobbyists to represent and defend their interests in Washington, D.C. But some industries frequently employ a special breed of lobbyist: those who previously worked for the federal government they’re now tasked with influencing.

Some of these ‘revolving door’ lobbyists once toiled as low-level congressional staffers or entry-level bureaucrats. Plenty more, however, worked within government’s upper ranks, serving as top agency officials, congressional chiefs of staff and even as members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

For each of the more than 120 industries and special interest areas OpenSecrets.org tracks, we now show you the number and percent of lobbyists we’ve identified as having spun through the revolving door between government and the influence industry.” OpenSecrets.org

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Former members of the Ohio General Assembly registered to lobby with multiple clients

Former Members of the Ohio General Assembly Who Are Registered Lobbyists in 2010

WASHINGTON — “The House passed a bill yesterday aiming to help the federal government corral and punish lobbyists who don’t properly file required disclosure reports. The reports provide the public with information about what they are doing in Washington for clients….

Her bill, dubbed the Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act, was passed by voice vote under rules designed to allow noncontroversial measures to pass with less debate than normal as long as they receive at least a two-thirds majority.

Kilroy’s bill stems from the 1995 lobbyist-reform bill that toughened disclosure requirements. The bill seeks to establish a special task force under the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., to investigate possible disclosure violations. It doesn’t say how much that would cost, however, and leaves it to the Justice Department and future Congresses to figure that out and decide whether to allocate that amount.” Jonathan Riskind, The Columbus Dispatch.

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COLUMBUS — “Ohio’s five public pension systems have more than $2 million each year to influence those who write laws affecting their bottom lines…. A number of associations and nonprofits representing retirees affected by the various pension funds also have been created to influence legislation and, in some cases, to elect their own representatives to the pension boards. For example, the Police & Fire Retirees of Ohio’s political action committee has contributed $11,400 so far this year to legislative candidates, including $300 to Rep. Todd Book, D-McDermott, who chairs the Ohio Retirement Oversight Council, and $550 to council member Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon,” Jim Provance, The Columbus Dispatch.

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Deck headlines should summarize the story and use articles, conjunctions and punctuation.

COLUMBUS — A bank lobbyist who has personal ties to Treasurer Kevin Boyce’s top aide also has another link inside the treasury: his wife. On Dec. 30, Boyce’s office hired Walaa Waeda as a $37,500-a-year secretary to Boyce, Deputy Treasurer Amer Ahmad and other managers. Waeda is married to Noure Alo, an immigration attorney hired by Boston-based State Street Bank to lobby Boyce’s office,” Laura Bischoff, Dayton Daily News.

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COLUMBUS — The General Assembly will let stand a federal judge’s ruling that overturned the state’s revolving-door law, which prohibited public officials from lobbying for at least one year after they left office. The Joint Legislative Ethics Committee will pay $134,418 in attorney fees and costs for former Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr., a Cincinnati Republican who brought the lawsuit. Brinkman said he was denied the chance to lobby on a volunteer basis. Had the state challenged the ruling, ‘all that would have happened is we would have thrown out more lawyer fees and we’d lose at the end of the day,’ said Tony Bledsoe, legislative inspector general,” Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch.

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Brinkman v. Budish Summary Judgement pdf