NYT: White House Hiding Off-Site Meetings with Lobbyists

[kpete]

There are no Secret Service agents posted next to the barista and no presidential seal on the ceiling, but the Caribou Coffee across the street from the White House has become a favorite meeting spot to conduct Obama administration business.

Here at the Caribou on Pennsylvania Avenue, and a few other nearby coffee shops, White House officials have met hundreds of times over the last 18 months with prominent K Street lobbyists — members of the same industry that President Obama has derided for what he calls its “outsized influence” in the capital.

...

But because the discussions are not taking place at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, they are not subject to disclosure on the visitors’ log that the White House releases as part of its pledge to be the “most transparent presidential administration in history.”

more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/us/politics/25caribou.html
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/6/25/879336/-NYT:-White-House-Hiding-Off-Site-Meetings-with-Lobbyists

[Hawkowl]

1. Why do you think they are called lobbyists?

Because during the Grant administration, they were often seen hanging around the Willard Hotel lobby trying to influence the president Grant.

[AndyA]

2. Well, Obama's first mistake regarding this was surrounding himself with a bunch of corrupt

career politicians in the first place.

Rahm Emanual, for instance. Mr. Blue Dog Democrat himself, responsible for many of the "conservative" Democrats in Congress today. And they are the ones voting with the GOP.

Obama should have known better. They will drag him down, and indeed they already have.

[county worker]

3. This is a dupe

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. Sounds like the "lobbyists" are fighting back.

"A senior White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity"

:rofl:

I've seen it all now. The evil lobbyists are now DU heroes? Those paragons of virtue, who would never tell a lie? Ask yourself, is it really in their best interest to create waves if they have the cozy relationship the article implies? Why would they cut their own throats? This story is planted bullshit, full of anonymous sources, and lobby friendly journalists think they've figured out a way to give a blackeye to the administration.

If it's true, there should be investigations and names revealed so we all know who these people are, abnd they can be held accountable. I smell b.s.

[countingbluecars]

5. NYT title

Across From White House, Coffee With Lobbyists