What is Lobbying?

Is Congress run by the special interests?  If you think that’s the case, it’s probably because you don’t agree with what Congress is doing. Everything you’re for is in the “public interest”; everything you’re against is being pushed by some “special interest.” The legislative process reflects a community of interests, each with its own perspective and priorities. It affords all citizens an opportunity to contribute at each and every step of the way. That contribution can come in many ways, each of which amounts to some form of persuasion or advocacy.

The right to petition our government for redress of grievances is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This basic human right has been a hallmark of the American representative form of government. It is so pervasive and well-practiced that it has been given its own name: Lobbying.

Despite what you may have heard, lobbying is an honorable and respectable profession. Public laws ranging from medical research and consumer safety to environmental protection and national defense have been passed with the help of lobbyists. If you belong to a professional association or civic group, odds are that you have a lobbyist working for you, informing your organization of key upcoming legislation, votes, and other developments. When you call your elected officials to tell them about how you feel about a particular issue, you are lobbying. It happens all the time. It is perfectly legal, moral, ethical, and the right thing to do.

Marlowe & Company is an acting member of the American League of Lobbyists (ALL), abiding by ALL's adopted  "Code of Lobbying Ethics" that provides basic guidelines and standards for lobbyists' conduct. In general, this Code is intended to apply to independent lobbyists who are retained to represent third party clients' interests and to lobbyists employed on the staff of corporations, labor organizations, associations and other entities where their employer is in effect their "client." Lobbyists are strongly urged to comply with this Code and to seek always to practice the highest ethical conduct in their lobbying endeavors.

News Articles & Additional Resources:

- Exiles on K Street (by Daryl Owen)
  As printed in the April 3, 2009 edition of the Washington Post newspaper

- The Hypocrisy of Reform (by Howard Marlowe)
  As printed in the August 1, 2007 edition of The Hill newspaper