Government Corruption (in a Single Picture)
Yeah, I know. It’s small. Click on it for the full size image.
This is the client list for the lobbying firm of Clark Lytle Geduldig and Cranford.
You can go to their website and see this picture for yourself. Here, it’s screengrabbed in case it suddenly “disappears”. CLGC has more corporate clients, but I think you get the picture.
Who is this firm and what do they do?
According to their press page and The Hill, “Clark Lytle Geduldig and Cranford know how to kill legislate threats to (their) clients.” (The Hill, April 24, 2008).
In short, CLGC is a lobbying firm with a long list of corporate clients. Wouldn’t you like to know what types of legislation they’ve influenced? And how many other lobbying firms just like them are out there?
Here’s a second picture (I think the first one was enough, but if you’re interested).
Who are these folks?
Sam Geduldig was a former adviser to Congressman John Boehner (R-Ohio), the current Speaker of the House, as well as Congressman Mike Oxley (R-Ohio), the former Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
Steve Clark is a former board member of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce who was cited in 2000 as Ohio’s Most Effective Corporate Lobbyist.
Gary Lytle was senior vice president of federal relations for Qwest and lead lobbyist on all issues involving Congress, the Administration, and the FCC.
And Jay Cranford is another former John Boehner assistant.
Now, for those Democrats out there who will point and say “Look, John Boehner!” CLGC also claims that they are “quick on (their) feet even with Democrats in power.” (The Hill, May 14, 2009).
And a third picture showing some of these testimonials. (Wow, it’s kind of hard to believe they’re this bold about what they do. Basically, hire them and they’ll kill the legislation you don’t want or provide you with the right level of influence.)
They also claim to:
“offer clients an exceptionally well-rounded view of the legislative process.” (Washingtonian, May 23, 2011)
Let me translate that for you from lobbying speak: they can influence Democrats too.
The point is not to say that one side, Democrats or Republicans are better. That’s not the argument I’m trying to make here.
Let me spell it out for you.
The chief problem in Washington is NOT Democrats or Republicans.
The chief problem in Washington is that our government is not our government anymore.
If you pay enough to one of these lobbying firms (apologies for singling you out, CLGC, I know there’s others), you can influence the legislative process.
The main problem is the influence of money on our system.
The main problem is that the industries who are supposed to comply with government regulations for the good of our country are instead writing (or blocking) the rules through the influence of lobbyists such as CLGC.
One picture was never clearer.
