This is a follow up to yesterday’s post by Bryan Jacoutot, Lobbyist double standard, highlighting the hypoocrisy of the conservative punditry lambasting Newt allegedly for being a de facto lobbyist and Washington insider, while ignoring Romney’s close campaign ties to lobbyists.
Roll Call notes that Romney is walking away in the race for lobbyist bundled campaign contributions:
Grass-roots Republicans may be flocking to Newt Gingrich in key primary states, but when it comes to winning over establishment Washington, D.C., the former Speaker still has a long way to go to catch former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
As of the end of September, Romney had collected close to $1.3 million from Washington-area donors in the $1,000-and-up category, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute. By contrast, Gingrich had raised a paltry $89,650 from this group, notwithstanding his decades as a Washington lawmaker, strategist and pundit. Texas Gov. Rick Perry had raised $325,150 from the Beltway crowd.
Roll Call has a follow up pointing out that Romney also leads in the participation of lobbyists in his campaign activities:
“There’s a whole bunch of folks going up from K Street,” said Brad Card, a lobbyist at Dutko Grayling and longtime Mitt Romney devotee.
The former New Hampshire state prosecutor and undercover narcotics detective will be right at home when he arrives in the Granite State on Jan. 6, four days before its primary. Card’s words still drip with dropped R’s and short A’s. “I just want to support Gov. Romney,” added Card, who said he’s not interested in a White House post should Romney go all the way. “I legitimately believe that he would make a great president. I fervently believe that.”
Although Card hails from Team Romney, he said supporters for other candidates including former Speaker Newt Gingrich were also making plans to travel for their pick.
Romney, though, appears to be drawing the most K Street volunteers, which makes sense because the former governor also has collected the most campaign cash from D.C. insiders, besting opponents such as Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
I have to hand it to Team Romney and its supporters in the conservative media. They have managed falsely to portray Newt as the one with the biggest lobbyist problem.
We will pay the price for the lack of vetting of Romney by our conservative media. I just hope it’s not too high a price.
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Geeeeeez, for three years I’ve lstened to and cheered the usual suspects among the conservative media punditry as they ranted and railed against the MSM’s refusal to vet Obama – and now they commit the precise same crime.
Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends. We’re so glad you could attend. Come inside, come inside.
The conservative pundits are more concerned with the continuation of their swell dinner party invites than they are with placing the country on the road to recovery. They are nothing more than mouthpieces for ruling class-GOP Division.
Romney is the choice of the Patricians and Newt (and everyone else, except for crazy Uncle Ron)is a member of the great unwashed. It’ll be a kick to the seat of their pants if we torpedo Mittens.