HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Influentialist Will Return on Monday, December 1.

The Hill: Lobbyists offer help to those seeking pardons from departing White House

A number of convicted criminals have turned to K Street for help in gaining a last-minute pardon from President Bush before he exits the White House in January.

Prominent law firms, think tanks and grassroots movements have gotten behind those who are seeking relief from the justice system. They have lobbied on legislation, put together petitions [...]

Federal Election Commission New Advisory Opinions Update

The following Advisory Opinion is now available:
Advisory Opinion 2008-15, Issued to National Right to Life Committee, Inc., http://saos.nictusa.com/saos/searchao?AONUMBER=2008-15

The Page: Obama Team to Limit Inaugural Donations

Will only accept donations up to $50,000, prohibit contributions from corporations, PACs and federally-registered lobbyists. Past president-elects have accepted donations as high as $250,000. Also working with authorities to open up the National Mall to more attendees.

NYTimes: For Lobbyists, No Downturn, Just a Turnover

Richard Hunt, a top Republican lobbyist for the securities industry, was among the first to go, just a week after the election. Marc Racicot, the president of the American Insurance Association and former Republican Party chairman, resigned a few days later. So did Frank L. Bowman, the retired admiral and Republican-leaning chief of the nuclear [...]

The Hill: Bottom Line

• AIRLINES. Delta Airlines hired Cauthen Forbes & Williams to lobby on a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration and one that relates to corporate pension programs, Senate lobbying records show. Jeff Forbes, a former Democratic staff director on the Senate Finance Committee, is among the lobbyists working on Delta’s behalf.

• ENERGY. Alliance One [...]

The Hill: Lobbying World

• Hilary Rosen has joined Brunswick Group as managing partner of its Washington office. She is political director and editor-at-large for The Huffington Post. Rosen also is the former chairwoman and chief executive officer of the Recording Industry Association of America, and a well-known political contributor and on-air analyst for CNN.
• Mark T. Esper has [...]

National Journal: GOP Money Crisis

For Republicans nursing their wounds after decisive losses on Nov. 4, a nagging question complicates the larger debate over what’s next: Where will the money come from?
Almost across the board, Democrats dramatically outraised Republicans in this election, which will end up costing a record $5.3 billion for federal contests, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics [...]

Report says Obama’s small-donor base claim is off

Despite attracting millions of new contributors to his campaign, President-elect Barack Obama received about the same percentage of his total political funds from small donors as President Bush did in 2004, according to a study released today by the non-partisan Campaign Finance Institute.
The analysis undercuts Obama’s claim that his supporters “changed the way campaigns are [...]

FEC Post-General Report Due December 4

Reminder: The Post-General Report is due for PACs, party committees and all general election candidates on Thursday, December 4. This report covers the time period from the date where your last report left off through November 24. All PACs and party committees registered with the FEC are reminded that they must file this report on [...]