Lobbying and the Revolving Door
12,000+ registered lobbyists, the rules they follow, and the ones they bend.
Lobbying — where individuals or organizations try to influence legislation — is protected by the First Amendment right to petition the government. There are over 12,000 registered lobbyists in Washington, D.C., and lobbying is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Current ethics rules restrict the "revolving door" between Congress and lobbying: House members must wait 1 year after leaving office before lobbying Congress. Senators must wait 2 years. Senior staff must wait 1 year. However, many former members become "strategic advisors" or "consultants" at lobbying firms, technically avoiding the title of "lobbyist" while still using their relationships and knowledge to influence legislation.
Members can meet with lobbyists, attend lobbyist-hosted events (within gift rules), and accept campaign contributions from lobbyists and their clients. They cannot accept direct payments for specific votes or actions — that would be bribery, a federal crime.