RK ARCHIVE - Most Disappointing Thing About Lobbying in Richmond

On the 21st, Citizen Lobby Day, at the Capitol I had a team of 3 people with me, all representing green interests from Tidewater.

While visiting with Sen. Frank Wagner's (R-Virginia Beach) legislative assistant one of my team, representing the Tidewater Climate Action Network but who also works in the solar field, thanked him for his Patroning a bill favorable to the solar industry. In the discussion, her employer's name came up.

We talked about several other initiatives (the CCAN Clean Energy Future bill and parts of the VCN agenda) and then I launched into my criticism of Sen. Wagner's Uranium Mining bill, insisting on a scientific study by the NSF or similar be conducted before any appointed commissions gets it's hands on the issue. My team member kept her mouth shut; I and another team member did all the talking about uranium.

We were hardly out of the office before someone from the Senator's office was on the phone to my team member's boss, accusing him of knifing Sen. Wagner in the back on the Uranium Bill after the senator had gone to bat for the solar industry.

If my team member had been a professional lobbyist it would have been different, but to go after a citizen's employment for expressing her views to her elected official on Citizen Lobby Day is beyond politics.

UPDATE by Lowell: Sen. Wagner's office # is 804-698-7507. Perhaps people might call and politely ask why he is " go[ing] after a citizen's employment for expressing her views to her elected official on Citizen Lobby Day."

Comments

is the guy a republican? (pvogel - 1/23/2008 10:18:38 AM)

If he is, dont be surprised.
A more ragged band of scum and trash is hard to imagine

typical (leftofcenter - 1/23/2008 10:28:54 AM)

these guys are fairly useless. The only time they will respond is when HUNDREDS of folks bother them about an issue. I have asked my reps to do something-ie get state workers raises sooner than July of 2009-and the LA tells ME to go to the Appropriations committee. Me? Isn't that their job? Or is it mine? Like I really know who to contact, when they meet, what to say. Huh? I'm not a lobbyist. It is virtually impossible to get citizens involved, even 70,000 state workers whose pay would be affected.

I may be completely wrong but what is their job???

Their job... (Lowell - 1/23/2008 10:32:07 AM)

...is to take lots of money from Dominion, Smithfield, etc. and then do their bidding. Where HAVE you been?!? (snark)

these (leftofcenter - 1/23/2008 10:52:10 AM)

reps of mine are DEMOCRATS. I think that's what upsets me the most. If they were rethugs I would expect it. I guess my expectations are just to high. AND we've given thousands to their various campaigns. It's not like they don't know me. They're just lazy I guess-can't be bothered with us voters.

Monkey See, Monkey Do (elevandoski - 1/23/2008 10:31:30 AM)

That's disgusting! But what else would you expect from anybody who works for that putrid little man, Sen. Frank "Offshore Drilling, Uranium Mining" Wagner.

This Wagner guy sounds pretty (Lowell - 1/23/2008 10:32:58 AM)

radioactive himself. Probably need to wear a radiation suit anywhere near the dude.

You (leftofcenter - 1/23/2008 10:47:17 AM)

should really go to the press with this incident if it wouldn't get the lady in trouble with her employer. I'd love to see his explanation on the front page of the newspaper.

geeze (GAida - 1/23/2008 11:04:44 AM)

you people are just hungry for something to be outraged about. Don't we as democrats have better things to discuss?

well (GAida - 1/23/2008 11:37:26 AM)

call me young and ignorant, but I don't think this is a big deal. And even when we get a statement from the senator, the statement will get bashed. Whats the point?

"What's the point?" (Lowell - 1/24/2008 7:17:54 AM)

The point is to hold our elected officials accountable. The point is to make our voices heard. The point is to make it absolutely clear that THEY are supposed to serve US, not the other way around. The point is that an informed, engaged citizenry is absolutely crucial to the functioning of our Democracy.

Aside from all that, there's no point at all! Ha.

I (leftofcenter - 1/23/2008 11:16:10 AM)

don't need to get outraged, I am generally outraged these days and stuff like this is exactly what we as dems or rethgs need to be discussing. This goes right to the heart of the problems in Virginia these days. Backstabbing legislators that WE elect. Go figure.