HUFFINGTON
08.05.12
AP PHOTO/PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS
CAPITOL HILL
but haven’t officially registered as
lobbyists, which is easy to avoid
thanks to the law’s narrow definition of lobbying. Daschle, for instance, can wield all the influence
he wants so long as he doesn’t
personally make more than one
phone call in an effort to influence
legislation. If an underling does it
for him, though, that’s fine. (Dodd
and Daschle did not respond to
requests for comment.)
Among the non-lobbyists are
former Sens. Robert Bennett (RUtah) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.),
who took jobs last year with D.C.
law and lobbying firm Arent Fox.
Arent Fox’s chairman said in a
statement announcing the hires
that Bennett and Dorgan “will add
a tremendous amount of proven
strategic, policy and business expertise that is important to our
clients and our law firm.”
The Huffington Post asked the
senators if they were concerned
critics might accuse them of cashing out. Dorgan didn’t respond but
Bennett was game.
“Is there anything in the Constitution that forbids me from
earning a living?” he said. “I have
skills, people want to pay me for
my skills, I want to earn a living,
and this is the way I do it.”
When asked how much money
he would be making, Bennett
paused.
“Enough,” he said.
Former
Sen. Tom
Daschle,
right, greets
a Washington
resident after
his 2008
meeting with
seniors on
the topic of
health care.