Trent Lott used to oppose U.S. ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) that could create a global taxing and regulatory authority. But that was before he was being paid by the big businesses who see LOST as profitable.
Lachlan Markay at Heritage has the story:
despite his previous opposition, disclosure forms filed for the first quarter of 2012 (embedded below) show that Lott is one of four lobbyists from the Breaux Lott Leadership Group, a subsidiary of lobbying giant Patton Boggs LLP, pushing for Senate ratification of the treaty.
Lott, a Mississippi Republican, is Senior Counsel for Breaux Lott, which lobbied for LOST on behalf of the Shell Oil Company and Pike Associates, another lobbying firm, according to the disclosure forms.
Lott, a Mississippi Republican, is Senior Counsel for Breaux Lott, which lobbied for LOST on behalf of the Shell Oil Company and Pike Associates, another lobbying firm, according to the disclosure forms.
Back in 2007, I explained why the oil lobby likes LOST:
Just as national companies prefer federal regulation to state regulation, multinational companies prefer global regulation to national regulation. Such uniformity wipes out any home-field advantage local companies might have over the big guys, and so even if the total regulatory burden is heavier, it’s still easier to navigate.
Lott’s revolving-door 180 is typical of politicians who cash out. John Warner pulled such an about face on export restrictions:
Former Sen. John Warner, R-Va., is lobbying on behalf of foreign and U.S. satellite operators to loosen U.S. export controls aimed at preventing the Chinese military from copying American technology and potentially using it to make weapons.
Warner, as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, supported strict controls on the export of satellite technology, and he criticized “people in the corporate boardrooms” who pushed for export liberalization to the detriment of national security. Today, he headlines the K Street push on behalf of companies eyeing the lower satellite-launch costs China offers.
Warner, as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, supported strict controls on the export of satellite technology, and he criticized “people in the corporate boardrooms” who pushed for export liberalization to the detriment of national security. Today, he headlines the K Street push on behalf of companies eyeing the lower satellite-launch costs China offers.
In Illinois, we saw a recent episode of this sort:
Commonwealth Edison Co.’s newly hired chief lobbyist in Springfield will have some explaining to do as he spins his former House of Representatives colleagues on the utility’s top priority this legislative session: killing the bill authorizing construction of a new coal-fired power plant downstate.
