In the News

New Bill Seeks to Bring Lobbying Out of the Shadows

Sludge

Lobbyists who work to influence the federal government report spending, combined, about $3 billion per year for their efforts. But that figure is just a fraction of what corporations and other interests spend on their lobbying.

Besides making calls to congressional offices and holding briefings for staffers, lobbying organizations often employ "soft power" tactics to get information favorable to their causes in front of policymakers and influencers. For example, trade groups often plant op-eds built around their talking points on websites like The Hill that are read almost exclusively by D.C. insiders. It's also common for groups to form astroturf coalitions and call on their audiences to lobby policymakers on their behalf.

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