A recent Hillogism: Obama is the "establishment" candidate. (Part 2.1: Hillary's lobbyists)

Introduction

This post is a continuation of the previous one and will examine the "establishment" credentials of the many of the people listed by the group Public Citizen as being lobbyist bundlers for Hillary. What I am going to show here is that these people are big time "establishment." Given that objective, I will discuss some of the people that I did not name as actually being currently registered federal lobbyists. What I am trying to do here is discredit Hillary's claim that she is not "establishment."

Reminder of meaning of "establishment"

Merriam-Webster defines the term as "an established order of society...a group of social, economic, and political leaders who form a ruling class[.]"

Another definition is "A group of people holding most of the power and influence in a government or society."

A little background on lobbying firms

According to opensecrets.org, among the top 20 lobbying firms in 2007 were Patton Boggs (1), Akin Gump (2), and DLA Piper(15). Opensecrets.org also has a list of the top 20 firms since 1998, and that list includes Patton Boggs (1), Akin Gump (3), Greenberg Traurig (9), and Washington Group (18).

Details on Hillary's bundlers

For the most part, the following information came from the websites of the firms for whom these people work.

• Matthew Bernstein

Bernstein is a partner at DLA Piper.

He regularly represents corporate, government, and non-profit clients before Congress, the executive branch, and state governments, and works closely with the firm’s international attorneys and government affairs specialists on international public policy matters.

*******

Prior to joining the firm, Mac worked in the United States Senate as Legislative Assistant to Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH) and in the United States House of Representatives as a Professional Staff Member of the House Banking Committee.

Mac is active in Democratic Party politics.

Establishment.

• James J. Blanchard

Blanchard is also a partner at DLA Piper.

Governor James Blanchard joined the firm upon the conclusion of his duties as United States ambassador to Canada in April, 1996. In recognition of his outstanding performance, Secretary of State Warren Christopher presented Governor Blanchard with the Foreign Affairs Award for Public Service in a ceremony at the Department of State, making him one of only a handful of ambassadors to receive this prestigious award.

Mr. Blanchard was named ambassador to Canada in May 1993, after serving two terms as governor of Michigan (1983-1991) and four terms as a member of the United States Congress (1975-1983). In 1992, he chaired President Bill Clinton's successful campaign in Michigan. Governor Blanchard is also former chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and the National Democratic Platform Committee, as well as a former member of the National Governors Association's executive committee.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Timothy A. Chorba

Chorba is a partner at Patton Boggs. He was the ambassador to Indonesia during Clinton administration.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Geraldine A. Ferraro

Ferraro is a principal at Blank Rome.

Ms. Ferraro earned a place in history as the first woman vice-presidential candidate on a national party ticket. She was first elected to Congress from New York’s Ninth Congressional District in Queens in 1978 and served three terms in the House of Representatives. Her committee assignments in Congress included the Public Works Committee, Post Office and Civil Service Committee, and Budget Committee. Ms. Ferraro also served on the Select Committee on Aging.

From 1996 - 1998, Ms. Ferraro was a co-host of Crossfire, a political interview program, on CNN. She was also a partner in the CEO Perspective Group, a consulting firm which advises top executives. In 1994, she was appointed the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission by President Clinton and served in that position through 1996. She served as a public delegate to the Commission in February 1993 and was also the alternate United States delegate to the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in June 1993 and Vice-Chair of the U.S. Delegation at the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, September 1995.

Establishment.

• Gordon D. Giffin

Giffin is a partner at McKenna Long & Aldridge.

From August 1997 to April 2001, Ambassador Giffin served as the nineteenth U.S. Ambassador to Canada [that's during the Clinton administration and after Blanchard].

*******

From 1975-1979, he was Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Sam Nunn in Washington, DC.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Matthew A. Gorman

Gorman works at Fabiani & Company.

Mr. Gorman arrived at Blaylock and Partners from the U.S. Department of Treasury where he was the Director of the Office of Business Liaison for five years. Serving in that role, he provided guidance and management strategy to senior Treasury officials in support of the Department’s priorities affecting the interests of the business community. He worked closely with Treasury Secretaries Lloyd Bentsen and Robert Rubin by communicating government policy to Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers and other senior executives of corporations, associations, and financial groups. While there, he developed a broad knowledge of U.S. economic and tax policy as well as financial institution regulations, international trade policy and homeland security issues.

Before his government service, Mr. Gorman was one of the first three professional staff on President Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, arriving in Little Rock, Arkansas in August of 1991. In addition, he worked for then-Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and the Democratic Governors’ Association.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Reta Jo Lewis

Lewis is an attorney at Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge.

Reta Jo Lewis has more than two decades of experience in public policy, government affairs, politics and law. Reta's practice focuses on providing government relations and strategic counsel to corporations, trade associations, individuals and non-profit organizations before Congress, the White House, regulatory agencies and municipal governments.

*******

During the Clinton Administration, Lewis was named Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs, acting as the Clinton Administration’s political advocate to federal, state and local elected officials, constituency groups and opinion leaders during 1993-1995.

*******

Lewis is a recognized Democrat strategist, frequent speaker on political issues, with a special expertise on women national and international political participation.

*******

She has worked at the highest levels of national politics and is a veteran of state, congressional, and six presidential campaigns.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Garry Mauro

From Wikipedia:

At 34, he was elected to the statewide office of Texas Land Commissioner. Despite being targeted for defeat by the state Republican Party, he was re-elected four times.

Mauro became the longest serving Land Commissioner in Texas history.

*******

After leaving office in 1999, he was appointed to the Fannie Mae Board of Directors by President Bill Clinton.

In 1992, he served as the Texas State Chairman for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign. He took on the same role in 1996 for Clinton-Gore, in 2000 for Al Gore (as a co-chairman) and in 2004 for Dick Gephardt. He currently serves as the Texas State Director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• John Merrigan

Merrigan is a partner at DLA Piper.

Mr. Merrigan also participates actively in a variety of capacities within the National Democratic Party. From 1996 until 2000, he served as chairman of the Democratic Business Council, the leading forum for business interests within the Democratic National Party. From 2002 through 2004 he served as Middle Atlantic Finance chairman in the Kerry for President Campaign.

Establishment.

• Heather Miller Podesta

Podesta is the head of her own firm, Heather Podesta & Partners.

Most recently, Podesta provided legal and legislative counsel to health care, high tech, education, telecommunications, and financial services clients, as a partner at Blank Rome LLP and a principal at Blank Rome Government Relations LLC. Prior to that, she worked for several U.S. Members of Congress on the tax writing committees, including the late Representative Robert Matsui (D-CA), as tax and trade counsel; Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), as legislative counsel on tax, trade, and pension policy; and Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ), as legislative aide on trade and transportation issues. Podesta has also served as Assistant General Counsel at the Air Transport Association and General Counsel at the Airlines Clearing House.

Podesta is an active Democratic organizer and political adviser to many elected officials in Washington, DC and in state capitals across the nation.

Establishment.

• Steve Ricchetti

Ricchetti is one of the owners of Ricchetti, Inc.

A former deputy chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, Ricchetti worked in the White House throughout both terms. In 2001, he founded Ricchetti Inc., which CRP records show made almost $2.4 million last year.

More than 40 percent of his clients come from the pharmaceutical and hospital industries, such as Pfizer, Eli Lilly and the American Hospital Association.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Thomas L. Siebert

Siebert is a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig.

* U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, 1994-1998

* Chairman, International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference, 1998

* ITU is the United Nations' specialized agency devoted to telecommunications matters and is the highest decision-making body made up of representatives of governments belonging to an international treaty-making organization.

* Responsible for chairing plenary session and the Conference Steering Committee, maintaining control of meetings, working closely with the ITU's Secretary General and staff.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Richard Sullivan

Sullivan is a partner with Capitol Counsel.

Prior to joining Capitol Counsel, Mr. Sullivan was senior vice president of the Washington Group, a Washington, D.C. government relations firm. There he advised clients on all aspects of the federal policymaking process, including the impact of electoral politics on policy and policymaking.

Before working with the Washington Group, Mr. Sullivan served as finance director for the Democratic unity ’98 campaign under co-chairs Senate minority leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and House minority leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO). From 1994-1996, Mr. Sullivan served as national finance director for the Democratic National Committee. In that position, Mr. Sullivan became a senior member of the Clinton/Gore reelection campaign and worked closely with President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and senior members of their administration. USA Today called Mr. Sullivan, “one of the fresh, new generation of young leaders of the massive Clinton campaign effort.”

From 1991-1993, Mr. Sullivan served as national fundraising director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) under committee chairs Senator Charles Robb (D-VA) and Bob Graham (D-FL). From 1987-1991, Mr. Sullivan served as special assistant to House majority leader Gephardt. In that position, Mr. Sullivan helped formulate strategic policy for the House Democratic caucus and also served as liaison to Democratic business supporters.

Mr. Sullivan served on the fundraising leadership team of the Kerry for President campaign. He served as finance chair for the Gephardt for President campaign. He also served as co-finance chairman of the DSCC in 2002, chairman of the 2002 DSCC kick-off national gala, and DSCC chairman for the 2000 Democratic national convention.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

• Jose H. Villarreal

Villarreal is a partner at Akin Gump.

Mr. Villarreal is frequently called upon by corporate executives to offer strategic counseling in dealing with the United States Congress and executive branch agencies of the United States government. He also works closely with public officials at all levels of government.

Prior to joining Akin Gump, Mr. Villarreal served as an assistant attorney general in the Public Finance Division of the Texas attorney general’s office, where he was responsible for reviewing and approving public finance transactions. As a public finance lawyer, Mr. Villarreal represented a broad range of governmental subdivisions, financial advisors and investment banks in the issuance of public debt.

Mr. Villarreal has a broad political background as well and has served in senior roles in a number of presidential campaigns, including, most recently, as co-chair of the Kerry-Edwards Campaign. In 2000 he served as national treasurer of the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign and in 1992 he served as deputy campaign manager of the Clinton-Gore presidential campaign. Following the 1992 campaign, he served as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

Establishment--with close ties to the Clintons.

Conclusion

These people have held positions within the upper levels of governement and/or been very active in the uppermost levels of Democratic Party politics. That makes them establishment.

And in case you are wondering why I emphasized "close ties with the Clintons," just keep in mind that 1) Bill--and Hillary, since she has been emphasizing this in her campaign--spent eight years in the White House at the top of the establishment food chain; 2) since leaving office Bill has been seen by many as the de facto leader of the Democratic Party; and 3) Hillary has been a U.S. Senator for six years.

Folks, you can't get more "establishment" than that. And perhaps that is the biggest reason why the Hillogism that Obama is "establishment" while Hillary is not is downright Hill-arious.

Coming up in Part 3--superdelegates.