Politics

How Revolving Door Rules Apply to Hollywood's New Top Lobbyist

By Paul Blumenthal

Despite vowing not to become a lobbyist after retiring from a long Senate career Chris Dodd officially became Hollywood's top lobbyist in Washington yesterday. Senate revolving door issues place certain restrictions on Dodd as he moves ahead in lobbying for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). These rules, however, do allow Dodd to lobby certain parts of the government that are essential for the MPAA's major issues.

Senate revolving door rules restrict Dodd from lobbying his former colleagues in the Senate. This rule, however, does not apply to the executive branch or the House of Representatives. The language from the Senate Rules states that any former senator registered as a lobbyist or working for an organization employing registered lobbyists "shall not lobby Members, officers, or employees of the Senate for a period of two years after leaving office."

The MPAA listed over a dozen executive branch agencies as contacts in their 2010 lobbying reports. This should provide more than enough lobbying targets for Dodd as he waits two years until he can lobby his old buddies in the Senate.

Full post as published by Sunlight Foundation on March 02, 2011 (boomark / email).