Washington Lobbyist Hoekstra Files Papers to Keep Revolving Door Swinging

From Michigan Democrats

LANSING—Washington lobbyist Pete Hoekstra today announced that he is filing papers to keep the proverbial political revolving door swinging.  Hoekstra has made a career standing up for special interests, first as a Congressman, then going to work for Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm Dickstein Shapiro LLP, and now is seeking to be sent back to Congress to continue serving his special interest friends at the expense of Michigan families.

“Washington Lobbyist Pete Hoekstra has cashed in on his DC connections, supporting hundreds of billions of dollars in giveaways for his well-connected friends, then becoming their lobbyist–now he wants to serve them again in Congress,”  said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer.  “Hoekstra supported giveaways for oil companies and taxpayer-funded bonuses for Wall Street executives, while simultaneously fighting to cut Social Security and end Medicare.  Hoekstra’s dealings are good for his friends and for his career as a lobbyist, but they’re awful for Michigan families.”

Throughout his eighteen years in Congress, Hoekstra consistently voted against Michigan families while simultaneously voting for special giveaways for special interests.  Hoekstra supported plans to privatize Social Security, taking seniors’ benefits and risking them on Wall Street.  He supported Paul Ryan’s 2009 budget plan to end Medicare.  He even voted for tax breaks for companies who ship jobs overseas.  But while voting against middle class seniors and families, he voted for hundreds of billions of dollars for the Wall Street bailout and taxpayer-funded bonuses for bailed out Wall Street executives, and hundreds of billions more in tax giveaways for oil and drug companies.