THE K STREET PROJECT
Or: What a 1994 effort by Tom DeLay to level the playing field might tell us about the second Trump Administration in Washington, DC.
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Or: What a 1994 effort by Tom DeLay to level the playing field might tell us about the second Trump Administration in Washington, DC.
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The year is 1994.
Republicans re-took the House of Representatives for the first time in FORTY YEARS.
A Congressman from Texas by the name of Tom DeLay – who would go on to earn the nickname "THE HAMMER" – becomes Majority Whip.
And decides to send a message to DC.
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Republicans re-took the House of Representatives for the first time in FORTY YEARS.
A Congressman from Texas by the name of Tom DeLay – who would go on to earn the nickname "THE HAMMER" – becomes Majority Whip.
And decides to send a message to DC.
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It had been FORTY YEARS since Republicans had meaningful power in Washington; the private sector had adapted.
Without leverage, few GOP Staffers got lobbying gigs – those went almost exclusively to Democrats. Same with in-house "policy advisor" jobs at major corporations.
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Without leverage, few GOP Staffers got lobbying gigs – those went almost exclusively to Democrats. Same with in-house "policy advisor" jobs at major corporations.
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DeLay, newly installed as one of the most powerful members of Congress, issued a blunt warning not only to "K-Street" lobbying firms, but also to Republican Congressional Offices:
NO MEETINGS WITH DEMOCRAT LOBBYISTS.
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NO MEETINGS WITH DEMOCRAT LOBBYISTS.
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DeLay's prohibition on meetings wasn't about legislating, but rather FORCING LOBBYING FIRMS TO HIRE REPUBLICANS.
The Texas Congressman understood that ensuring GOP staffers had exit plans was CRITICAL to ensuring a robust and balanced branch of government.
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The Texas Congressman understood that ensuring GOP staffers had exit plans was CRITICAL to ensuring a robust and balanced branch of government.
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The "revolving door" is a Washington FACT OF LIFE.
And unless he could replicate it for the GOP, they would forever be iced out of the lifecycle, which would mean talented junior staff would leave and not come back.
IT WAS TIME TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
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And unless he could replicate it for the GOP, they would forever be iced out of the lifecycle, which would mean talented junior staff would leave and not come back.
IT WAS TIME TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
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In addition to JOBS, the K Street project also meant MONEY for campaigns. Again, like it or not, one of the unspoken rules of K Street is that Lobbyists MAKE LOTS OF MONEY, but they also GIVE LOTS OF MONEY.
No GOP Lobbyists means no GOP Lobbyist dollars.
Simple as.
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No GOP Lobbyists means no GOP Lobbyist dollars.
Simple as.
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What does this have to do with President Trump's COMEBACK?
A LOT.
In January 2021, Executive Branch staffers of all stripes found themselves ICED OUT from nearly every traditional post-Administration job.
Many went on unemployment. At least one I know drove for Uber.
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A LOT.
In January 2021, Executive Branch staffers of all stripes found themselves ICED OUT from nearly every traditional post-Administration job.
Many went on unemployment. At least one I know drove for Uber.
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A few here and there got swanky jobs, but those were mostly the ones who agreed to become anti-Trump talking heads.
And a few subject matter experts were hired to do niche tasks at some of the big companies, but were told openly to not speak about politics.
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And a few subject matter experts were hired to do niche tasks at some of the big companies, but were told openly to not speak about politics.
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A few others did manage to get six figure "advisory" deals, join a few corporate boards, and so on. But most of those were in traditionally "conservative" industries.
Those were the exception and not the rule.
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Those were the exception and not the rule.
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Four years later, here we are. While everybody is quietly jockeying for this job or that, Senior Executives at the world's most profitable companies are also jockeying for face time with the President, potential cabinet secretaries, and senior staffers.
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President Trump has already talked about how the CEO's of America's biggest technology companies (both hard tech and high tech) have been calling him.
And it behooves him to, on all of these calls, ask:
"How many of my people have you hired?"
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And it behooves him to, on all of these calls, ask:
"How many of my people have you hired?"
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This isn't just about ensuring that Trump Administration staff get jobs – though that is important.
MORE IMPORTANT, it is about injecting smart, accomplished, and well connected CONSERVATIVE senior executives into the highest reaches of America's most successful companies.
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MORE IMPORTANT, it is about injecting smart, accomplished, and well connected CONSERVATIVE senior executives into the highest reaches of America's most successful companies.
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This is win-win for America.
For the past 12 years, corporate America has looked to the Obama and Biden administrations to fill its senior ranks for the "Washington" skill-check box.
And with it come all of the social pressures of DEI and the woke mind virus.
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For the past 12 years, corporate America has looked to the Obama and Biden administrations to fill its senior ranks for the "Washington" skill-check box.
And with it come all of the social pressures of DEI and the woke mind virus.
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President Trump has remade the Republican Party, the Executive Branch, and will need to re-make the Lobbying industry, and corporate "policy" shops if he wants to create the kind of lasting impact of THOUSANDS of America First leaders pushing into Corporate America.
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How?
DeLay's efforts are informative. Perhaps the smartest thing to do is message these ideas publicly.
There are HUNDREDS of former Trump Administration staffers in good standing who would love to work for these amazing American companies.
All he has to do is ask.
15/15
DeLay's efforts are informative. Perhaps the smartest thing to do is message these ideas publicly.
There are HUNDREDS of former Trump Administration staffers in good standing who would love to work for these amazing American companies.
All he has to do is ask.
15/15
If you enjoyed this thread, here's one I did many years ago on what, exactly, a "revolving door" is, how it gets built, and what it is used to accomplish.
https://x.com/JoshuaSteinman/status/1592307005061931008
and obviously, if you enjoyed all of that, please retweet the top tweet in the thread. let's spread this far and wide.
https://x.com/JoshuaSteinman/status/1854418976341999939
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