Help us identify the lobbyists
By Joshua Hatch Jul 06 2011 10:48 a.m. 14 commentsOn May 11, the Senate Judiciary Committee's Antitrust Subcommittee held a hearing on the proposed AT&T and T-Mobile merger. Titled "Is Humpty Dumpty Being Put Back Together Again?" the hearing was concerned with possible antitrust issues, questions of competition, access to wireless service, rising costs and the loss of jobs.
Of course, Washington lobbyists had their own concerns and not surprisingly, the room was packed. In concert with National Journal, we at Sunlight decided to turn the cameras around 180 degrees to see who was watching the hearing. Our hope is that you can help us identify D.C.'s power brokers and assorted lobbyists who have an interest in influencing the Senate's view on the proposed merger.
Take a look at the photos below and if you recognize anyone, please send us an email at jhatch@sunlightfoundation.com describing which person you've identified, who they are (name, firm, etc.), and how you know who that person is.
As we compile and verify this information, we'll add the names to the photos so you can see who is watching Congress.
Here are the photos:
Thanks to Rick Bloom of National Journal for the photos.
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Top photo, front row, first person with gold tie/tan suit = Shane Larson, lobbyist for CWA union
Pretty sure the guy with the beard is Harold Feld. He is on the opposite side of AT&T. How do you know all of these people are lobbyists? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whkhglDWm-Y
Though a tad off-topic, it would be interesting to me, and probably others as well, if you could briefly explain to us how one gets access to a hearing. The room is small so the competition for each seat must be intense. How is it decided who will get in and who will be excluded?
old dude in red tie looking at his blackberry is at&t's lobbyist.
The guy in the front row with the beard and glasses looks a heckuva lot like Grover Norquist. You probably already knew that though.
I don't know any of them but I love what you are doing! Brilliant idea to turn the spotlight on the folks trying to stay out of it.
@Clif. Seating at all such hearing is given out as follows. i) reserved seats for testifying persons (and often one or two support staffer/attorney), ii) reserved seating for press, iii) everything else is first-come, first-served. There is absolutely NO preference given to any member of the public for seating. Doors to the building open to the public at 8:30, though persons with 'official business' can get in earlier. Lobbyists and industry often will hire 'line sitters' or send staff to make sure they have a spot at the front of the line.
The blond fellow between me Vonya is Ben Moncrief from Cellular South (their CEO was testifying)
Thanks for the help, everyone. We're adding the names as we get them. To answer #Clif's question, the hearings are public. You just need to get there early to get a seat, if the hearing is expected to be full (most are not). Also, #Hayden, the gentleman you mentioned as Grover Norquist is actually Harold Feld of Public Knowledge. Thanks for the comments... keep 'em coming!
Maybe number the pictures and people so people could indicate picture x person y is z might be more accurate than the guy in the gold tie.
The fellow with the skullcap in the first row in the first photo is Harold Feld. He works for a DC lobbying shop called Public Knowledge that claims to be a "public interest" group, but somehow always seems to be lobbying for what donor Google wants.
I spy Washington Post reporter Cecilia Kang, who lobbies -- albeit unofficially -- for Google, which places the advertisements that run in her blog.
Genius. Maybe this is the way for the little guy to fight back. Those jobs are shameful, regardless of salary. Keep shining that light.
I'm not a lobbyist for Sprint -- I'm a spokesman for the company. I don't have contact with Hill staff, Members of Congress, Administration officials or FCC officials. My work involves responding to inquiries from the media on Sprint's behalf.