Tom Daschle – Health Care’s unregistered lobbyist
Coming off of his scandal of “forgetting” to pay taxes on a car and driver he received, Tom Daschle seems to be skirting the rules once again with his work in “promoting” health care:
Daschle works for Alston & Bird, a law firm that lobbies on behalf of more than a dozen health companies, including CVS Caremark, according to Senate lobbying disclosure statements.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said the arrangement raises questions about what Daschle is advocating and who he represents in the closed-door meetings with members of Congress. “It’s like being a senator or being in the administration without having any of the restrictions,” she said.
Daschle, who is not a lobbyist, said he does not lobby but rather offers his thoughts to anyone who finds them helpful, be it the law firm or lawmakers.
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Comments
I totally agree with you Randall! “EX-congresspersons should NOT be able to lobby.”
Thank God we don’t have that happen very often with any of our Republican legislators when they leave office!
I am always worried about some of the democrats getting re-elected and then introducing bills to benefit the companies they used to lobby or work for! I think some democrats would actually step that low and do that! That’s what I am worried about!
I think ex-vice presidents who used to be de facto presidents should stop lying and trying to run the country after they leave office, and go get a job with Haliburton or Xe or something. Or maybe lobby for Saudi Arabia.
Oh Jeez, 9:19. Here we go with the Halliburton thing again.
Oh. And ex-vice presidents who fear-mongered little kids into believing that polar bears are going to perish from the planet (the profitted from the global-warming craze) should shut up too.
10:53, no BF would be better, but yes, he has succumbed to liberal talking points. Or his meds have run out.
While I’m not a fan of ex-political leaders lobbying, politics comes up in alot of conversations held on street corners and coffee shops. I really don’t see how someone who was at one time elected to a political office can not say anything to anybody at anytime about politics. It is just part of conversation. Furthermore, republicans and democrats are both guilty of the same crime but who knows, maybe once someone loses an election, they should be quarantined from the rest of the public. We would sure have new faces or no faces in Pierre, ummm, that might work!
Oldguy, you think I’ve been too crabby lately?
You could be right.
I’ll dial it back. Thanks for the heads up.
It’s hard for me to keep a lid on it when people here start bashing my friends Tom and Tim.
But yeah, me just ranting is probably not all that fun to read. Sorry.
How about when are legitimate reasons to criticize T & T?
Just like you guys find reasons to bash another T — as in Thune.
There are times when all of them deserve some bashing.
But Dems just can’t get over Daschle being a has-been.
2:38. Yes, that’s a fair point. But is being a former senator, a lifelong statesman, and a trusted advisor to many a legitimate reason to bash someone? Is having a speech handicap as a result of a stroke and brain surgery?
PP brings up the tax thing. What in the world does that have to do with TD’s ability or credibility in advising people on health care issues?
2:38. Yes, that’s a fair point. But is being a former senator, a lifelong statesman, and a trusted advisor to many a legitimate reason to bash someone?
Pat brings up the tax thing. What in the world does that have to do with TD’s ability or credibility in advising people on health care issues?
2:49 from 2:38, I have to agree with you on the tax thing. I don’t see a connection. BTW, I am not among those who bashed Daschle for getting rich, living in a “mansion” and having a car and driver. I say, good for him. Success is a good thing in my eyes. I do think that a smart guy like Daschle should have realized the tax implications of the driver thing, but hey. What he did wasn’t half as bad as Geitner, and he runs the friggin’ IRS.
P.S. You could say the same thing (public servant, adviser, etc.) about a lot of folks you libs love to hate. 
For a short time a majority of South Dakotan’s were regaining their fondness for the former Senate Majority Leader. Many people were speaking well of him again.
But he soon publicly forgot to pay his taxes and the whole thing reminded people why John Thune is so much better for America!
Daschle screwed himself! BIG TIME!
B.F. You are the best when getting your point across with facts while staying on issues. Heck more than once you have turned this oldguy around
Daschle thinks he is an expert on health care evidently, and if he can’t go in the front door, he’ll go in the back door. He stepped down from the job of running health care on his own. But guess it really didn’t make any difference, huh? Typical politics and that’s why I am in favor of term limits, shrinking gov’t, and getting back to the Constitution.
It was so funny to see O stand in front of the Constitution to make his last speech, when he is in actuality ignoring it in so many ways, the latest in the criteria he will use to pick the next Supreme Court Justice.
Wow, something new. A Democrat parsing words. I am not a lobbyist, but offer my thoughts that might be helpful.?!?! I think most lobbyists would try to tell us they are only offering their thoughts. Pelosi loves/hates CIA, I cannot remember which it is at this time. Obama changes to War on Terror to whatever he came up with. The administration is not going to raise taxes on anybody who makes under $250K, but look out for cigarette taxes, alcohol taxes, soft drink taxes, condom taxes, vacuum cleaner taxes, tax taxes–I guess they only meant “income” taxes. And I would ask BF to explain they lying comment, but he has been beaten enough as it is.
This is a big part of what is wrong with our system.
EX-congresspersons should NOT be able to lobby.
Period.