How much do the Democrats need K Street?

But the lobbyist said the Democrats’ new popularity on K Street does not resemble “the K Street project” run by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in which lobbying firms were urged, some say pressured, to hire Republican congressional staffers.

“The Republicans were a bunch of thugs about it — the way they went about it was totally crude,” he said.

The difference is that as a result of last November’s election, “K Street is desperately trying to get Democrats because they had ignored us for so long. And there’s not enough of a supply to meet the demand.”

One veteran House Democrat, nine-term member Collin Peterson of Minnesota said Thursday, “I don’t see any problem that needs to be fixed by going to a two-year ban. With the people who have gotten in trouble here, that has not been the problem.”

He was referring to ex-members such as Republican Duke Cunningham, who was convicted of conspiring to commit bribery, fraud, and tax evasion. Cunningham admitted to taking bribes in return for getting government contracts for defense contractors.

Interactive: Abramoff investigation Click here for a look at who's been linked to an investigation revolving around former high-powered Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Reuters file

“Lobbying serves a useful function,” Peterson said. “In our system, we need lobbyists. A good lobbyist will tell you not only his side of the issue, but the other side. If you think they’re evil, then they’re a necessary evil. To really understand this place, you have to have been here.”

Critic sees voter backlash in 2008
Critics such as Sirota say Democrats can’t afford to become intimate with corporate interests on K Street.

“Selling one's soul to the highest bidder may be par for the course in Washington, but it's exactly the kind of behavior that the rest of America is so disgusted with,” Sirota said. “A Democratic Party that ignores that truism in order to keep their lobbyist pals happy is one that should prepare for a voter backlash come 2008.”

And that is the intriguing election-year question:  Will there be a voter backlash next year if Congress passes diluted lobby reform? How much do voters care about lobbying?

“People in my district are not sitting around saying the solution is to go from a one-year timeout to a two-year timeout,” Peterson said. He added that he supported disclosure of lobbyists’ bundling of campaign contributions for congressional candidates, but would really like to see public (taxpayer) financing of campaigns.

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