Family lobbying

Roll Call has a report today headlined "Ban on Family Lobbying Eyed." As readers of this blog know, Tom Daschle's wife is one of the most powerful corporate lobbyists in Washington. The Roll Call piece is an indication that the practice of senators having family members as lobbyists is a legitimate issue for discussion, despite the fact that Tom Daschle labels it "an attack on his family." Excerpt from the Roll Call piece:

According to the 2003 edition of the Senate Ethics Manual, "The decision on whether a spouse may lobby the Senate is generally a decision for the Senator and his or her spouse, giving due regard to the potential reflection upon the Senate."

The manual also notes that any compensated lobbying employment by a spouse would be required to be reported on the Senator's annual financial disclosure form - although that amount would only have to indicate if the spouse earned $1,000 or more, not the specific salary for the given year.

"Given the heightened public interest in the professional activities of spouses of Members, the Committee hopes that spouses, as well as Members, will conduct their professional and business activities so as not to reflect adversely upon the Senate as an institution," the manual notes.

Even the Senate Ethics Manual infers the legitimacy of "heightened public interest in the professional activities of spouses of Members[.]" To view the Senate Ethics Manual's statements on the employment of spouses click HERE(pdf) and go to page 93. Someone has even written a book entitled "Politicians and Their Spouses' Careers," which is cited in the Ethics Manual, and is yet another indication that scrutiny of the lobbying activities of Tom Daschle's wife is legitimate.

The Daschle v. Thune blog has more excerpts from the Roll Call piece.