Lobbyists

Yesterday, Obama voluntarily released the names of 243 contributors to his inauguration, who together donated $9.7 million, continuing his commitment to disclosure. We analyzed some of that information yesterday, and have created a chart listing all of the inaugural donors who were also big donors (87) or bundlers (19) to Obama during the campaign as well. (More after the jump.)

As we mentioned yesterday, the Washington Post reported that former FEMA Director James Lee Witt is rumored to be in line to return to the post he held during the Clinton administration. Mark Merritt, president of Witt's consulting/lobbying firm, may join FEMA as Witt's deputy.

Today, the transition holds a press conference at noon Eastern time, in Chicago, where Obama will make an economic announcement. He is widely expected to name additional members of his Cabinet and staff, possibly to include Bill Richardson to head Commerce and Peter Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget within the White House, according to the Associated Press.

CNN's Ed Henry reports that Daschle will also serve as the administration's health "czar" -- or point person -- largely in charge of writing the health care plan that Obama will send to Congress. Now, how is the person in that job going to steer clear of affecting Alston + Bird's passel of HMO, pharmaceutical and physician association clients?

Here is a list of health care and pharmaceutical clients for which Alston + Bird, employer of presumptive HHS nominee Tom Daschle, has reported lobbying Health & Human Services or its subsidiary Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2008.

Agencies lobbied are listed in parentheses, followed by a brief snippet of each company's line of business, pulled from its Web site. List after the jump.

says Reuters

Reported AG-nominee Eric Holder is currently a partner at D.C. white-shoe law firm Covington & Burling, where he handles "complex civil and criminal cases, domestic and international advisory matters and internal corporate investigations," according to the company's Web site.

.... so says Newsweek. Holder is a bundler who raised at least $50,000 for Obama's campaign and was a lobbyist for Covington & Burling as recently as 2004. He represented clients including telecommunications firm Global Crossing.

Today, the transition announced three new key positions in the Obama White House.

Today's NYT traces the "tangle of ties" between several transition members and lobbyists.  Although this isn't the main point of the piece, it raises the question why one would draw the line at lobbyists.  What about a corporate lawyer who has spent years advocating on behalf of corporate clients?  There's little reason to think someone in that position is less likely than a lobbyist to continue advancing the same pro-corporate positions.  And what about a corporate executive?  Why should a tele