TPM’s Zachary Roth (formerly of CJR) and Justin Elliott have put together an interactive map of the “Shadow Congress,” the 171 (by their count) “former members of Congress currently working on behalf of private interests in Washington’s influence-peddling industry.” Write Roth and Elliott:
It’s not exactly breaking news that Washington is stuffed to the gills with lobbyists. One good government group recently tallied 8 lobbyists for every member of Congress during the health-care reform debate. But what doesn’t get as much attention is that, over the last few decades, a vast army of what might be called uber-lobbyists has taken shape in the capital, made up of retiring lawmakers eager to cash in on K Street after a lifetime of making do with public sector salaries.
Interesting stuff. Next up, maybe, a list of these “uber-lobbyists’” clients?

Knowing the kind of “journalism” done by TPM (and looking at the kind of stories Roth likes to zero in on) I’m sure there had to be something else to this. Sure enough, when I scrolled over Colorado I failed to see a VERY prominent former congresswoman, Patricia Schroeder, who now spends her days as the CEO of the Association of American Publishers.
Slip shod work like this is probably why Roth got the boot over at the New York Observer, but I guess that TPM has lower standards.
#1 Posted by Mike H, CJR on Tue 1 Jun 2010 at 02:36 PM
Normally, we appreciate your comments, but saying that someone "got the boot" from some previous job is unsupported and diminishes the debate.
CJR
#2 Posted by Mike Hoyt, CJR on Tue 1 Jun 2010 at 05:58 PM
Mike, check your facts. The CEO of the AAP is Tom Allen, not Pat Schroeder.
http://www.publishers.org/main/AboutAAP/about_Board_01.htm
#3 Posted by Thalia, CJR on Tue 1 Jun 2010 at 08:09 PM
Thalia
http://www.publishers.org/main/AboutAAP/Board/about_Board_01_01.htm
Thats wierd.
#4 Posted by mike h, CJR on Tue 1 Jun 2010 at 08:17 PM
Looks like even her Wikipedia page says she's the CEO; maybe she recently left the job.
#5 Posted by rone, CJR on Thu 3 Jun 2010 at 07:29 AM