The Lobbyists: How Influence Peddlers Get Their Way in Washington

A behind-the-scenes look at Washington's most powerful players follows a handful of top lobbyists during the 101st Congress, exposing their obscene wheeling, dealing, wining, and dining. 25,000 first printing.

In this eye-popping, jaw-slackening, generally sickening true-life narrative, Wall Street Journal staffer Birnbaum details how America's lawmakers work hand-in-glove with former Congressional or White House personnel who have gone on to represent commercial or other special interests. Their "causes" range from big-business coalition efforts in support of the Bush administration's drive for lower capital-gains taxes to promoting tax interests of specific industries such as trucking, railroads and insurance. Lobby-paid luxury vacations, speaking fees and above all the accepted wisdom that no office-holder can be re-elected without the financial support of special interest friends guarantees the lobbyists access and influence, according to the author, who passes on one "rumor" that a former senator was paid $500,000 to make a single phone call to a committee chairman. Naming names and full of anecdotes, this is arguably the most realistic, readable--and depressing--account of democracy at work in a long time. Major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.