Blunt A Top Target For Foreign Lobbyists
Here's an interesting tidbit from the recent coverage of Rep. Robert Wexler's (D-FL) resignation from Congress to join the Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation: Wexler was contacted by foreign lobbyists more than any other Member of Congress (173 times) in the recent one-year period analyzed by the Sunlight Foundation, followed by Roy Blunt at #2 with 105 contacts.
In order of frequency, Blunt was in contact with representatives from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Peru, Panama, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, Morocco and the United Kingdom.
No other Senator or Congressmember from Missouri came close. For the same time period:
- Akin - 5
- Bond - 26
- Carnahan - 34
- Clay - 0
- Cleaver - 2
- Emerson - 7
- Graves - 4
- Hulshof - 6
- McCaskill - 5
- Skelton - 32
The Foreign Lobbyist Influence Tracker, a joint project of ProPublica and the Sunlight Foundation, compiles information about contacts by foreign governments, political parties and government-controlled entities that are disclosed to the DOG.
