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Monday, 5 March 2007
John Ashcroft Officially for Sale
Topic: People
Former Attorney General John Ashcrosft has joined former RIAA chief Hilary Rosen in lobbying Washington about satellite radio, but unlike her path to XM, which makes some degree of sense, his was a bit windier, belying a certain flip-floppiness on the proposed XM/Sirius merger.
After the merger plan was announced, Ashcroft contacted XM and offered them the lobbying services of his firm, The Ashcroft Group LLC, ostensibly to help them get the merger approved by Washington. XM didn't want his help, so he made a quick about-face to work for the opposition.
Following Ashcroft's rejection by XM, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) approached him for help with their lobbying efforts against the merger, and he accepted. As part of his services, he sent a harsh letter to current Attorny General Alberto Gonzalez "blasting the proposed merger," according to the Wall Street Journal.
It's fairly obvious that Washington lobbyists are for sale (it basically is their job description), but it's still a little shocking to see this sort of thing from someone who was recently the head of the U.S. Justice Department...
"Let the eagle soar... and if he someone pays him enough, let the eagle quickly reverse his flight pattern."
(on WSJ; via engadget; AP image from Thomas G. Nolen)
John Ashcroft Officially for Sale
Topic: People
Former Attorney General John Ashcrosft has joined former RIAA chief Hilary Rosen in lobbying Washington about satellite radio, but unlike her path to XM, which makes some degree of sense, his was a bit windier, belying a certain flip-floppiness on the proposed XM/Sirius merger.After the merger plan was announced, Ashcroft contacted XM and offered them the lobbying services of his firm, The Ashcroft Group LLC, ostensibly to help them get the merger approved by Washington. XM didn't want his help, so he made a quick about-face to work for the opposition.
Following Ashcroft's rejection by XM, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) approached him for help with their lobbying efforts against the merger, and he accepted. As part of his services, he sent a harsh letter to current Attorny General Alberto Gonzalez "blasting the proposed merger," according to the Wall Street Journal.
It's fairly obvious that Washington lobbyists are for sale (it basically is their job description), but it's still a little shocking to see this sort of thing from someone who was recently the head of the U.S. Justice Department...
"Let the eagle soar... and if he someone pays him enough, let the eagle quickly reverse his flight pattern."
(on WSJ; via engadget; AP image from Thomas G. Nolen)
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