Lobbying firms can see which way the wind blows.
So much for the K Street project.
Coming soon from Washington Post:
WASHINGTON--Washington lobbying firms, trade associations and corporate offices are moving to hire more well-connected Democrats in response to rising prospects that the opposition party will wrest control of at least one chamber of Congress from Republicans in the November elections.
In what lobbyists are calling a harbinger of possible upheaval on Capitol Hill, many people who make their livings influencing government have gone from mostly shunning Democrats to aggressively recruiting them as lobbyists over the past six months or so.
More from WaPo (not online yet):
In June, one of Washington's largest lobbying law firms, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary LLP, transferred the chairmanship of its government affairs practice from a Republican, Thomas F. O'Neil III, to a prominent Democrat, James Blanchard, a former governor and congressman from Michigan.
``Being a Democrat didn't hurt me, that's for sure,'' said Blanchard. ``This is going to be a big Democratic year.''
Lobbying managers have for years tended to hire Republicans because both Congress and the White House are controlled by the GOP and access to officials at both places is lobbying's stock in trade. But, in recent months, many of Washington's top lobbyists said in interviews that their decision-making has been altered by an emerging consensus among election experts that that Democrats will boost their numbers in the House and the Senate in the mid-term elections and have a strong shot of winning a majority in the House.
No shit, Sherlock.
Gee those guys are on top of it.
It is total damage control mode on K Street as the fall election looms. Try to hire some Democrats QUICK so we aren't TOTALLY out in the cold.