Half of Retiring Senators Become Lobbyists, up 1,500% in 40 Years

Photo Credit: breitbart Christopher Buckley’s review of Mark Leibovich’s “In This Town,” a Thackeray-esque exposé of official Washington, uncovers this buried morel on page 330 of the book. In 1974, just 3% of retiring members of Congress became lobbyists. Today, 50% of retiring Senators and 42% of retiring House members stay in DC and become lobbyists. The more than 1,500% increase goes a long way towards explaining how an entrenched, permanent political class has risen in DC.

Now, I think lobbyists often get a bad rap. Government action, either by legislation or regulation, has a deep impact on the economy. Industry reps and lobbyists provide important information for how a proposed action would effect a company or business sector. Without this information, the unintended consequences from legislation would often be far worse than they already are.

That said, you don’t need a former Senator or Congressman to fill this need. They don’t receive million-dollar pay packages simply to articulate how rewriting a section of the Code will impact a particular business. Their pay is justified because they provide an interest with access, the implication being that it would be less without their services. Their relationships and allies also give them the ability to “fix” certain problems that may arise, with either a bill or a proposed regulation.

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