Thune to continue work as lobbyist

| Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

SIOUX FALLS (AP) — Republican John Thune said he will continue working as a lobbyist as he campaigns for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Thune, the former U.S. Representative for South Dakota, left office in January 2003 and formed his own company, The Thune Group. He confined his dealings to federal agencies, because former members of Congress are prohibited by law from lobbying their former colleagues for a year after they leave office. That year has expired for Thune, and he is free to deal with the legislative branch of the federal government as a lobbyist.

"I like to help people tear down barriers," Thune said. "The complexity of federal government and all the various bureaucracies associated with it can be numbing to people. Helping them navigate that, working through it and solving problems is very fulfilling."

Thune is running against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tom Daschle in the November general election. Daschle's wife, Linda, is also a Washington lobbyist, and Republicans have criticized the situation, saying a senator's wife might have improper influence on behalf of her clients.

Daschle says that his wife only lobbies the House and that they do not discuss official business.

Thune's dealings potentially remove lobbyists and who they talk to as an issue in the campaign, Bill Richardson, a University of South Dakota political scientist, said.

"I would certainly think that is a logical inference. You certainly have a vulnerability with both candidates. It might make it harder for them to attack each other," Richardson said.

Thune said he currently is working for the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad and Beef Products of North Sioux City. He said he is also negotiating with Sioux Falls ethanol developer Broin Companies to do lobbying work for them.

Thune said South Dakota's voters will take a pragmatic look at his client list and decide that his work on the companies' behalf is in the state's best interest.

"I think the work I'm doing for these South Dakota clients, people will look at John Thune as trying to help these South Dakota businesses grow their business," he said.

Thune said he has not yet decided whether he will have to stop lobbying at some point.

"I don't know the answer to that question. But I think there is a way to strike a balance," he said.