{"id":296726,"date":"2010-02-08T23:26:00","date_gmt":"2010-02-09T04:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"tag:www.opensecrets.org,2010:\/news\/\/8.1359"},"modified":"2010-02-08T23:42:44","modified_gmt":"2010-02-09T04:42:44","slug":"toyotas-lobbying-power-primed-for-test-as-congressional-scrutiny-mounts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/296726","title":{"rendered":"Toyota’s Lobbying Power Primed for Test as Congressional Scrutiny Mounts"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"toyotalogo.jpg\"<\/a>Toyota’s leadership and army of prominent lobbyists face a monumental government relations battle as Congress primes itself for a series of public hearings<\/a> regarding the embattled automaker<\/a>‘s recall of hundreds of thousands of vehicles over accelerator pedal and brake defects.<\/p>\n

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But they’re likely as ready as any of their ilk: Among foreign car companies, Toyota’s federal lobbying efforts<\/a> are unmatched, a Center for Responsive Politics<\/a> analysis indicates.<\/div>\n
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In 2009 alone, the company employed 31 federal lobbyists — including a former member of Congress and numerous ex-congressional staffers — and spent nearly $5.4 million to lobby the federal government, according to the Center<\/a>‘s analysis.<\/div>\n
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That compares to 19 lobbyists and $3.67 million spent in 2009 for runner-up Nissan<\/a>. In third place stands Honda<\/a>, with nine lobbyists and $2.56 million spent last year.<\/div>\n
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During the past five years, Toyota has spent nearly $25 million lobbying the federal government, followed among foreign car makers by Nissan ($15.54 million), Honda ($10.3 million) and Volkswagen ($5.88 million).<\/div>\n
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Since 2005, General Motors<\/a> ($53.1 million) and the Ford Motor Co<\/a>. ($40.7 million) have spent the most money on federal lobbying, foreign or domestic. Toyota places third overall.<\/div>\n
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But $25 million is no insignificant amount of money when it comes to directly influencing federal lawmakers and agencies.<\/div>\n
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And Toyota has proven its lobbying reach is wide, reporting lobbying contacts in 2009<\/a> with the White House, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency.<\/div>\n
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It already has plenty of friends<\/a> serving on the very congressional committees that are slated to investigate Toyota’s mass recall, including officials whose states and districts have benefitted from the company’s business and job creation.<\/div>\n
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Furthermore, Toyota’s registered lobbyists include a number or people who used to serve in Congress, work on congressional staffs or play key roles within federal agencies or national political parties.<\/div>\n
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Among them: former Rep. Bill Brewster<\/a> (D-Okla.), Sheryl Cohen<\/a> (Sen. Chris Dodd’s former chief of staff), Michael Lewan<\/a> (Sen. Joe Lieberman’s former chief of staff), David Garman<\/a> (former Department of Energy assistant secretary), Richard A. Penna<\/a> (former National Commission on Air Quality assistant director), Anne Saunders Fabry<\/a> (Lieberman’s former special assistant), Kristen P. Gullott<\/a> (former Republican National Committee special events director) and David S. Thompson<\/a> (ex-assistant to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert).<\/div>\n
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