Meet Dennis Rehberg: Registered Lobbyist
Rehberg: ‘Politics without the influence of interest groups not realistic’
Lobbyist Rehberg fought to keep special interests in politics
BILLINGS, Mont. – While Dennis Rehberg draws attention to lobbyists on the campaign trail, he fails to mention this important part of his own past: The longtime Congressman was a registered lobbyist.
Rehberg spent time as registered lobbyist after working in Washington DC for Montana Congressman Ron Marlenee.
As a lobbyist, Rehberg pushed for several controversial proposals in the Montana Legislature, most infamous his fight to kill a bill that would restrict the influence of special interest money in politics.
“Politics without the influence of interest groups is not realistic,” Rehberg said in testimony before lawmakers.
Rehberg also claimed money should be used to influence political decisions.
“Money is only one part of the equation,” Rehberg told the Legislature. “But it is the common denominator in the shaping of many of those things comprising political power, because it buys what is not or cannot be volunteered.”
More on Rehberg’s work as a registered lobbyist is online HERE.
“Lobbyist Dennis Rehberg has been a champion for special interests far longer than he’s been in Congress, and that helps explain his wrong priorities and out-of-touch agenda,” said Montanans for Tester spokeswoman Alexandra Fetissoff. “The fact that Lobbyist Dennis Rehberg tried to give more power to special interests is yet another reminder that he has failed to hold himself accountable to Montana.”
Rehberg recently told the American League of Lobbyists that a career in lobbying would have been smarter than running for Congress.
Rehberg also told the League of Lobbyists that “lobbying is an honorable profession” and that he relies on lobbyists for information.
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