We’ve all heard Barack Obama talk about how evil lobbyists are, but I guess some lobbyists are more evil than others.
Democrat Barack Obama opposes a bill that would change the nation’s 135-year-old mining law – the same stance as mining industry executives who employ a Nevada-based lobbyist advising the presidential candidate.
The Obama campaign and Billy Vassiliadis, a longtime Nevada power broker, contend there is no connection, saying they have never discussed Obama’s position on the mining bill.
Sure.
Vassiliadis, a longtime Nevada power broker, is a member of Obama’s Nevada steering committee and has contributed $2,300 to his campaign. He is a lobbyist for the Nevada Mining Association at the state level and the chief executive of the advertising and lobbying firm hired by two mining companies to lobby for them in Washington.
Denver-based Newmont Mining Co., one of the world’s largest gold producers, hired Las Vegas-based R&R Partners’ Washington, D.C. office in January. The firm has represented silver and gold miner Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp. (CDE), in Washington since 2006.
Obama campaign spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said Vassiliadis has advised the campaign only on politics, never policy.
“I have not had a single conversation, not one, with anybody in the Obama campaign about mining,” Vassiliadis said.
You can always trust the word of a lobbyist right? This is getting ridiculous. Between faux-transparency and changing his position on Iraq depending on the political climate, and now this interesting little lobbyist connection he has, how can anyone believe a word he says?
Blogs For Victory 