To follow-up on a story I noted about Jefferson County, Alabama, The Birmingham News editorializes about the county commission’s decision to hire the most expensive lobbyist who bid here. Hiring a lobbyist is irresponsible. Even during the best of times financially, a government body paying a private firm to lobby another branch of government is […]
Day: March 1, 2010
Lawmaker-lobbyist (or lobbyist-lawmaker) in Illinois
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton’s lobbying work is the topic of this Chicago Sun Times report. His Senate press secretary, Rikeesha Phelon, said Cullerton’s lobbying work as a partner in the national law firm Thompson Coburn poses no conflict of interest with his duties as Senate president. “Illinois law has long recognized that legislative service […]
Schumer-Van Hollen’s constitutionality
Hans von Spakovsky discusses the constitutionality of Schumer-Van Hollen in this Human Events editorial. Congress just can’t seem to stop itself from interfering with our First Amendment rights. As Justice Antonin Scalia said 20 years ago in a blistering dissent in Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the case Citizens United overruled, too many think […]