"The fact is, there is no proof whatsoever that federally registered lobbyists deserve a higher level of scrutiny than any other group," says Doug Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council, in a letter to the White House urging the administration to track all conversations about specific Recovery Act projects, not just those of federally registered lobbyists.

Read Pinkham's letter here:  Pinkham Letter to White House on Lobbying Restrictions.pdf

The Public Affairs Councils is a nonpartisan organization that provides public affairs training and best-practice information to its member companies and nonprofit organizations.

Pinkham's chief complaint is that the lobbying restrictions regarding stimulus funds are not the best way to increase accountability to taxpayers. Members of Congress may be the most important group to track, Pinkham maintains. Lawmakers could be asking for recovery funds from agencies whose finances they have control over.

Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics agrees. "There is no reason to limit it to registered lobbyists," she reported after a meeting at the White House with Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform, and several other White House staffers.

In his letter, Pinkham suggests the government create a searchable database that tracks all conversations of those seeking stimulus funds.

                                                                                                 -- Eliza Krigman