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Lobbyist: Forcing Contractors to Disclose Donations Injects Politics Into Policy (Howard Marlowe quoted) By Kevin Bogardus The Hill May 1, 2011 A draft executive order from the White House that would force government contractors to disclose their political contributions is drawing consternation from K Street. Lobbyist sees the latest move by the Obama administration as another attempt to limit their influence in Washington, and it follows a series of policies signed off by the president that have targeted them. Howard Marlowe, president of the American League of Lobbyists, told The Hill that the draft order that has been circulated around Washington would be “bad public policy.” “This is really bad public policy to be asking people to state what contributions they have made to candidates,” Marlowe said. “This is injecting politics into a process that should not involve politics.” The lobbyist group released a statement Friday condemning the draft order, which followed similar statements of opposition from K Street powerhouses like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable. If implemented, the order would have a company bidding for a federal contract disclose their contributions to parties and candidates as well as donations to “third party entities” that spend their funds on “independent expenditures and electioneering communications,” according to a copy of the draft order obtained by The Hill. The draft order seems geared toward non-profit groups that spent vast sums campaigning in the last election without disclosing their donors. Contributions to parties and candidates are already covered by Federal Election Commission rules, but donations to non-profit groups are not. |