{"id":134342,"date":"2016-03-09T13:04:02","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T20:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=134342"},"modified":"2016-03-09T13:04:02","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T20:04:02","slug":"the-lobbyists-who-love-bernie-sanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2016\/03\/the-lobbyists-who-love-bernie-sanders\/","title":{"rendered":"The lobbyists who love Bernie Sanders"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_98364\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 771px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tiffany98101\/20436987775\/in\/photolist-x8WUsc-vTTDPR-ydxi7u-ydwWyL-yT3BJi-z9wrCd-yT3R7a-z8g2D1-zbp35n-ydF3cx-ySXm3h-wygWjP-ySXy4S-yT3NpX-ySXozb-x9uKKV-ymeYhx-zKByhL-vTK3nA-vTTKGn-wQLf4R-wRhbtv-wQLgsx-zmM7bS-wQ2JWJ-wy9vG5-wNry8C-wNrzj5-vTTxde-vTJZGW-wygNJP-vTJXhf-wygStx-vTTySr-i9YUCA-prt9zo-zXU3Ro-AejF2d-yDatNu-yjZ5X9-yGkQFs-idbS6Z-xNEGeB-A4xwyA-AAFPSf-Amg27Y-zG75Dg-ADWmxH-ABPieL-zFT9Ps\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-98364 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Sanders-Bernie-771x416.jpg\" alt=\"Bernie Sanders, who identifies as a democratic socialist, has been met by large crowds across America, including this crowd in Seattle in August. (photo cc info)\" width=\"771\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Sanders-Bernie-771x416.jpg 771w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Sanders-Bernie-336x181.jpg 336w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Sanders-Bernie-768x415.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Sanders-Bernie-1170x632.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Sanders-Bernie.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Tiffany Von Arnim \/ Creative Commons<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bernie Sanders, shown here speaking\u00a0in Seattle last August. (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">photo cc info<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You might not think the National Cannabis Industry Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and National Mining Association have much in common.<\/p>\n<p>But they have this: Lobbyists for these organizations have donated money to the presidential campaign of Democrat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/04\/30\/17261\/12-things-know-about-bernie-sanders\" target=\"_blank\">Bernie Sanders<\/a>, the self-described socialist who has regularly castigated special interests and the government influence industry.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"module align-left half type-aside\">\n<h3>About this article<\/h3>\n<p>This story comes from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2016\/03\/09\/19405\/lobbyists-who-love-bernie-sanders\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. It\u2019s\u00a0part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\/buying-president-2016?utm_campaign=syndication&amp;utm_source=yahoo-news&amp;utm_medium=taxonomy-link\" target=\"_blank\">Buying of the President 2016<\/a>. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\/buying-president-2016?utm_campaign=syndication&amp;utm_source=yahoo-news&amp;utm_medium=taxonomy-link\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a> to read more stories in this investigation.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In fact, nearly two-dozen federally registered lobbyists have given money to Sanders\u2019 presidential campaign, according to a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>\u00a0review of campaign finance records and data obtained from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Responsive Politics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sanders has painted himself as a different kind of politician, running a different kind of campaign.<\/p>\n<p>When he launched his presidential bid last May, <a href=\"https:\/\/berniesanders.com\/bernies-announcement\/\" target=\"_blank\">he proclaimed<\/a>: \u201cToday, we stand here and say loudly and clearly that enough is enough. This great nation and its government belong to all of the people, and not to a handful of billionaires, their super PACs and their lobbyists.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a theme Sanders has revisited time and again \u2014 on the campaign trail, in advertisements and during debates against front-runner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/04\/12\/17107\/12-things-know-about-hillary-clinton\">Hillary Clinton<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But unlike President Barack Obama, who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/news\/2012\/01\/barack-obama-refunds-lobbyist-money\/\" target=\"_blank\">refused campaign contributions from registered lobbyists<\/a>, Sanders\u2019 campaign confirmed it does not ban lobbyists from making contributions \u2014 even as Sanders has <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ibtimes.com\/bernie-sanders-vs-democratic-national-committee-senator-launches-petition-targeting-2306999\" target=\"_blank\">called<\/a> on the Democratic Party to maintain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/dnc-allowing-donations-from-federal-lobbyists-and-pacs\/2016\/02\/12\/22b1c38c-d196-11e5-88cd-753e80cd29ad_story.html\" target=\"_blank\">a ban<\/a>, implemented by Obama, on lobbyists giving to the Democratic National Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Campaign officials declined to say whether Sanders would return, or otherwise dispose of, contributions received from registered lobbyists. They also declined to say whether the campaign would change its policy regarding donations from registered lobbyists.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the many messages our campaign has effectively sent to the political establishment of this country is that the American people have had enough of the billionaire class buying elections,\u201d Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told the Center for Public Integrity.<\/p>\n<p>Added Mike Casca, Sanders\u2019 rapid response director: &#8220;Bernie\u2019s campaign is fueled by individual contributions averaging under $30 \u2014 not lobbyists bundling six figures at private events.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A Clinton campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>To be sure, lobbyist donations \u2014 about $3,200 overall \u2014 represent a tiny fraction of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/10\/16\/18631\/see-how-much-2016-presidential-candidates-have-raised-so-far\" target=\"_blank\">more than $96 million<\/a> raised Sanders has raised for his underdog presidential bid.<\/p>\n<p>About 70 percent of that sum comes from small-dollar donors who have given Sanders $200 or less.<\/p>\n<p>Sanders\u2019 anti-big money, anti-special interest mantra has resonated with many voters, who have lifted him to victory against Clinton in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2016\/us\/elections\/primary-calendar-and-results.html\" target=\"_blank\">several primary and caucus contests<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The lobbyist cash the Sanders campaign has collected has come from traditionally left-leaning causes: labor unions, environmentalists, the American Civil Liberties Union.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, John M. Walsh, a lobbyist for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, contributed $500 to Sanders last year.<\/p>\n<p>Other labor lobbyists giving Sanders money include Ian Hoffmann, a lobbyist for the American Federation of Government Employees, who contributed $235, and Michael Dolan, a lobbyist for the Teamsters, who gave $100.<\/p>\n<p>Each lobbyist declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p>Lobbyist Michael Correia of the National Cannabis Industry Association also donated $500 to Sanders last year. That\u2019s tied for the largest amount among Sanders\u2019 lobbyist contributors to date.<\/p>\n<p>Correia, who also gave $500 to Republican <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/04\/07\/17068\/12-things-know-about-rand-paul\" target=\"_blank\">Rand Paul<\/a>, told the Center for Public Integrity he contributed to both presidential campaigns because it was an \u201copportunity to reward somebody\u201d for being a leader on cannabis policy.<\/p>\n<p>In November, Sanders <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2015\/11\/05\/bernie-sanders-files-bill-to-legalize-marijuana.html\" target=\"_blank\">introduced a bill<\/a> to decriminalize marijuana.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can understand when he uses the rhetoric about lobbyists or the power of corporations \u2014 I get that,\u201d Correia continued, adding that lobbying the government is a constitutionally protected right. \u201cI can proudly say that I\u2019m a lobbyist \u2026 I\u2019m doing something that I think is right and on the right side of history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That sentiment was reiterated by other lobbyists contacted by the Center for Public Integrity.<\/p>\n<p>One Sanders-supporting lobbyist who refused to be quoted by name said: \u201cI\u2019m a good lobbyist\u201d and insisted that \u201cnot all lobbyists are unethical.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Most lobbyists who\u2019ve contributed to Sanders\u2019 campaign simply didn\u2019t want to discuss their donations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, I can\u2019t discuss my personal political affiliations on the record,\u201d said Ian Thompson, a lobbyist at the American Civil Liberties Union who has given $170 to Sanders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI respectfully decline comment,\u201d echoed Robert Henson, a lobbyist at Credit Union National Association who has donated $100 to Sanders.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, Amanda Aspatore, a lobbyist at the National Mining Association who has given Sanders $250, declined to discuss her contribution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not going to comment on that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p><em>Chris Zubak-Skees contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nearly two-dozen professional influencers have donated to the anti-lobbyist candidate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98364,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[708,296,705,226,116],"class_list":["post-134342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-2016-election","tag-lobbyists","tag-money-in-politics","tag-presidential-race","tag-washington"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134342\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=134342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=134342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}