Susan B. Hirschmann
Susan Brackin Hirschmann, chief of staff to House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-Texas) until August 2002, runs the Leadership Forum, a 527 committee.
Hirschmann is a lobbyist with "the firm Williams & Jensen, which represents such clients as AOL-Time Warner, General Motors Corporation and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, among other high-powered clients." [1][2]
"After the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen landed former DeLay Chief of Staff Susan Hirschmann in 2002, National Journal termed it 'the biggest hiring coup of the year.'" [3]
"She has also served as chief-of-staff to Rep. Van Hilleary and as executive director of Eagle Forum." [4]
Contents
Abramoff-DeLay-Hirschmann
Susan Hirschmann has been one of the main go-betweens for Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay. Hirschmann has benefited from Abramoff's hospitality on several travel junkets including trips to Russia, Britain, and the Choctaw Indian tribe's Mississippi resort, which includes a golf course, casino and spa." [5]
Abramoff-Reed-Hirschmann
"Hirschmann also has ties to Ralph Reed, the conservative Christian activist who took $4.1 million from Abramoff and Abramoff's partner Michael Scanlon but claims he had no idea the money came from the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, a gaming tribe." [[6]
Dotty Lynch of CBS News reported in late April 2005, that Hirschmann was on "the host committee for a Reed fundraiser in Washington, D.C.," the week before. Reed is running for lieutenant governor in Georgia.
Influence Peddling
The Wall Street Journal reported November 25, 2005, that the Justice Department's "investigation into possible influence-peddling by prominent Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff is examining his dealings with four lawmakers, more than a dozen current and former congressional aides and two former Bush administration officials, lawyers and others involved in the case."
Also named, besides DeLay, were Representative Bob Ney (R-Ohio), Representative John Doolittle (R-California) and Senator Conrad Burns (R-Montana), "according to several people close to the investigation....
"Five of the former aides worked for Mr. DeLay, including Tony Rudy, [DeLay's former chief of staff] Ed Buckham and Susan Hirschmann. The three were top aides to Mr. DeLay and are now Washington lobbyists." [7]
After DeLay ... Sort of
When Hirschmann, "one of the most highly regarded staffers on Capitol Hill, announced that she would be retiring by the end of July [2002], lobby shops and law firms swarmed to hire her. Robert Barnett, the Williams & Connolly lawyer who has negotiated deals for many a famous public servant going private, helped her sort out and negotiate the offers -- there were more than 10 solid offers and about as many potential offers." [8]
Hirschmann chose Williams & Jensen, "a law firm largely known for its Republicans though it was founded by Democrat J.D. Williams, because it 'is an excellent firm with an extremely good reputation and with top-notch clients.'" Hirschmann joined Williams & Jensen, which "has long represented DeLay," as a "non-law partner." [9]
NIGA
"According to Senate lobbying records, Hirschmann represented" the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) in 2004 "on an Internet tobacco bill that was opposed by tribes. Her firm was paid $80,000 that year." [10]
Campaign Contributions: House and Senate campaigns, PACs and the Bush Campaign
During the 2003-2004 Election Cycle, Hirschmann "contributed just under $50,000." [11]
"Congressman DeLay's leadership PAC paid Susan Hirschmann's law firm, Williams and Jensen, $34,598 during the 2003-2004 cycle for legal services, fundraising fees and other costs. Ms. Hirschmann contributed $2915 to the Williams and Jensen PAC, but that PAC did not contribute to Congressman DeLay's campaign. Majority Whip Roy Blunt's leadership PAC, Rely on Your Beliefs, paid Williams and Jensen $14,155 for legal services during the 2003-2004 cycle. Republican Conference Chair Deborah Pryce's PAC, Promoting Republicans You Can Elect, paid Williams and Jensen $9101 during the same period." [12]
External links
- Judy Sarasohn, "Ex-DeLay Aide Picks an Employer," Washington Post, September 5, 2002.
- John Bresnahan, "Leadership Forum Returns $1 Million," Roll Call (Campaign Legal Center), January 8, 2003.
- Michael S. Gerber, "As omnibus completion draws near, lobbyists face moment of truth," The Hill, January 29, 2003.
- Jonathan E. Kaplan and Alexander Bolton, "FEC dismisses action against 'DeLay group'," The Hill, April 29, 2003.
- Brody Mullins and Michael E. Grass, [13] Roll Call, February 23, 2004: "Susan Hirschmann has not been off Capitol Hill for long, but she is already making an impact on K Street. Hirschmann, a former top aide to then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas), has teamed up with one of her partners at Williams & Jensen to launch a grassroots lobbying shop that offers corporations coordinated, campaign-style lobbying drives." re the Leadership Forum set up by Hirschmann and Bill Paxon. (Subscription required.)
- Thomas B. Edsall, "Soft-Money Group Promotes Ties to GOP Leaders Despite Warnings," Washington Post, May 29, 2004.
- "Political Contributions by DeLay Alumni During the 2003-2004 Election Cycle," Tech Politics (CQ Weekly, Federal Election Commission downloaded March 2005.)
- R. Jeffrey Smith, "DeLay Airfare Was Charged To Lobbyist's Credit Card," Washington Post, April 24, 2005. See page 3: "As a staff member at the time of the trip, she would have been covered by the same ethics rules that apply to DeLay and other House members."
- "Former DeLay chief of staff lobbied for NIGA," Indianz.com, April 26, 2005.
- Ellen Miller, "DeLay's Fundraising Host Committee," TPM Cafe, November 16, 2005.
- Anna Palmer and Emma Schwartz, "Tom DeLay's Right-Hand Woman. How much does lobbyist Susan Hirschmann know about her former boss's business?" LegalTimes.com, April 24, 2006. Provides comprehensive overview.
