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http://www.newsmax.com/politics/romney_lobbyists/2008/01/17/65309.html
Romney Criticizes Rivals' Lobbyists
Thursday, January 17, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Republican Mitt Romney said Thursday he could govern in
the country's best interest because "I don't have lobbyists running my
campaign," although Washington insiders are on his senior staff and
registered lobbyists are top advisers.
One of them, Ron Kaufman, chairman of the Washington-based Dutko Group,
regularly sits across the aisle from Romney on his campaign plane,
participates in debate strategy sessions and just last week accompanied
Romney to a lunch in Myrtle Beach with Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.
Another adviser, former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., is chairman of Romney's
policy committee. He also is chief executive officer of Clark & Weinstock,
and his corporate biography says he "provides strategic advice to
institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of
the federal government."
"I think it's time for Washington _ Republican and Democrat _ to have a
leader who will fight to make sure we resolve the issues rather than
continuously look for partisan opportunity for score-settling and for
opportunities to link closer to lobbyists," Romney said during a news
conference.
The former Massachusetts governor added: "I don't have lobbyists running my
campaign."
Aides said later the comment was directed at rival John McCain, the Arizona
senator whose campaign manager, Rick Davis, is a registered lobbyist. McCain
casts himself as a political maverick, ready to incur the wrath of
colleagues and lobbyists as he pushes campaign finance legislation, exposes
pork-barrel spending and engages in other good-government activity.
Asked about Kaufman, Romney noted he had said, "I don't have lobbyists
running my campaign," before saying of Kaufman: "He's not running my
campaign."
Reminded that Kaufman had joined Romney and his wife, Ann, on the plane
throughout the Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan campaigns, Romney noted that
Beth Myers, his former gubernatorial chief of staff, was his campaign
manager and Kaufman was only an adviser.
"Ron is a wonderful friend, an adviser," Romney said. "He's not paid. He's
an adviser like many others, but I do not have lobbyists running my
campaign."
He later invited an Associated Press reporter who posed the questions to the
front of his plane so Romney could outline the campaign's organizational
chart.
Romney regularly declares he's not a politician, joking that four years as
Massachusetts' governor were "not long enough to leave me infected."
He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and his father, George, was a three-term
governor of Michigan and Nixon administration Cabinet member, but points to
his 25 years as a business consultant and venture capitalist to buttress his
argument.
As he did Thursday, he rails against Washington lobbyists, special interests
and Beltway denizens, saying he'll bring an outsider's perspective to the
White House.
The multimillionaire points to the more than $17 million in personal funds
he has spent on the campaign and his public fundraising as proof he can
govern free of Washington's special influences.
"Somebody doesn't put the kind of financial resources that I've put into
this campaign, and the personal resources I've put into this campaign, in
order to do favors for lobbyists," Romney said. "I'm going to Washington to
help the American people."
It is because of his lack of Washington experience, however, that he
surrounds himself with some of the capital city's prominent Republican
voices.
Besides Kaufman, who served as White House political director under
President George H.W. Bush, Romney gets policy advice from Weber, former
Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., and Sally Canfield, once a top aide to former House
Speaker Dennis Hastert
Advice in targeting voters comes from Alex Gage and on polling from Jan van
Louhoizen; both did similar tasks for President Bush. He also gets
communications help from Barbara Comstock, a former Justice Department
spokeswoman, and Matt Rhoades and Kevin Madden, veterans of the Republican
National Committee and the office of former Rep. Tom DeLay, respectively.
Admakers Alex Castellanos, Stuart Stevens and Russ Schreifer all have worked
for Bush.
Romney distinguished between that type of work and the work of paid
influence-peddlers.
"I haven't been in Washington," he said. "I don't have lobbyists at my
elbows that are arguing for one industry or another industry, and I do not
have favors I have to repay to people who have been in Washington for years
nor scores I have to settle."
Romney Criticizes Rivals' Lobbyists
Thursday, January 17, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Republican Mitt Romney said Thursday he could govern in
the country's best interest because "I don't have lobbyists running my
campaign," although Washington insiders are on his senior staff and
registered lobbyists are top advisers.
One of them, Ron Kaufman, chairman of the Washington-based Dutko Group,
regularly sits across the aisle from Romney on his campaign plane,
participates in debate strategy sessions and just last week accompanied
Romney to a lunch in Myrtle Beach with Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.
Another adviser, former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., is chairman of Romney's
policy committee. He also is chief executive officer of Clark & Weinstock,
and his corporate biography says he "provides strategic advice to
institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of
the federal government."
"I think it's time for Washington _ Republican and Democrat _ to have a
leader who will fight to make sure we resolve the issues rather than
continuously look for partisan opportunity for score-settling and for
opportunities to link closer to lobbyists," Romney said during a news
conference.
The former Massachusetts governor added: "I don't have lobbyists running my
campaign."
Aides said later the comment was directed at rival John McCain, the Arizona
senator whose campaign manager, Rick Davis, is a registered lobbyist. McCain
casts himself as a political maverick, ready to incur the wrath of
colleagues and lobbyists as he pushes campaign finance legislation, exposes
pork-barrel spending and engages in other good-government activity.
Asked about Kaufman, Romney noted he had said, "I don't have lobbyists
running my campaign," before saying of Kaufman: "He's not running my
campaign."
Reminded that Kaufman had joined Romney and his wife, Ann, on the plane
throughout the Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan campaigns, Romney noted that
Beth Myers, his former gubernatorial chief of staff, was his campaign
manager and Kaufman was only an adviser.
"Ron is a wonderful friend, an adviser," Romney said. "He's not paid. He's
an adviser like many others, but I do not have lobbyists running my
campaign."
He later invited an Associated Press reporter who posed the questions to the
front of his plane so Romney could outline the campaign's organizational
chart.
Romney regularly declares he's not a politician, joking that four years as
Massachusetts' governor were "not long enough to leave me infected."
He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and his father, George, was a three-term
governor of Michigan and Nixon administration Cabinet member, but points to
his 25 years as a business consultant and venture capitalist to buttress his
argument.
As he did Thursday, he rails against Washington lobbyists, special interests
and Beltway denizens, saying he'll bring an outsider's perspective to the
White House.
The multimillionaire points to the more than $17 million in personal funds
he has spent on the campaign and his public fundraising as proof he can
govern free of Washington's special influences.
"Somebody doesn't put the kind of financial resources that I've put into
this campaign, and the personal resources I've put into this campaign, in
order to do favors for lobbyists," Romney said. "I'm going to Washington to
help the American people."
It is because of his lack of Washington experience, however, that he
surrounds himself with some of the capital city's prominent Republican
voices.
Besides Kaufman, who served as White House political director under
President George H.W. Bush, Romney gets policy advice from Weber, former
Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., and Sally Canfield, once a top aide to former House
Speaker Dennis Hastert
Advice in targeting voters comes from Alex Gage and on polling from Jan van
Louhoizen; both did similar tasks for President Bush. He also gets
communications help from Barbara Comstock, a former Justice Department
spokeswoman, and Matt Rhoades and Kevin Madden, veterans of the Republican
National Committee and the office of former Rep. Tom DeLay, respectively.
Admakers Alex Castellanos, Stuart Stevens and Russ Schreifer all have worked
for Bush.
Romney distinguished between that type of work and the work of paid
influence-peddlers.
"I haven't been in Washington," he said. "I don't have lobbyists at my
elbows that are arguing for one industry or another industry, and I do not
have favors I have to repay to people who have been in Washington for years
nor scores I have to settle."
