Back up the truck. Here come a fresh order of ‘gators.
Former campaign aides, fundraisers and others with ties to President Trump and Vice President Pence have attracted dozens of new lobbying clients in Washington, raking in more than $2.2 million in lobbying fees in the first months of the administration, a USA TODAY analysis shows.
One of Trump’s early executive orders was supposed to address restrictions on lobbying, but that order also carefully relaxed other rules. And it did nothing at all to address Trump and Pence associates fanning out to sell their influence with the new team in town.
In a statement, the White House said that Trump had a "great number of highly talented people working on his campaign. It isn't a surprise those who did not choose to join the administration are highly successful in whatever endeavor they undertake."
"There is no legal restriction from former campaign aides having positive relationships inside and outside the White House," the statement said.
Nope. None at all. Though it’s certainly unique to turn the campaign staff into another wing of the influence machine quite so blatantly.
“This represents the complete opposite of what candidate Trump repeatedly claimed he would do something about,” [Fred Wertheimer, president of the watchdog group Democracy 21] said of Trump’s repeated campaign pledge to “drain the swamp” in the nation’s capital.
One name in particular stands out for being absolutely open about exploiting the connection to Trump.
One lobbying and consulting startup makes no secret of its ties to the administration: Avenue Strategies, started last year by Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, and other campaign advisers.
Pence’s former chief of staff is now a lobbyist, so is the former commerce secretary from his cabinet in Indiana. Trump’s field director is now a lobbyist. And they’re bringing in the dough quickly from gun makers, drug makers, communications companies, and foreign governments.
And there’s absolutely no doubt about what they’re selling.
One lobbying and consulting startup makes no secret of its ties to the administration: Avenue Strategies, started last year by Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, and other campaign advisers.