RNC Finds A Lobbyist In Top Dem Party Post: Her Clients Included Korean Automaker

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- This could become an issue of some import in the Midwestern and Great Lakes belt of domestic auto manufacturing states by fall as the presidential campaign heats up. A vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, Lottie Shackleford is a registered lobbyist. Her client list has included Hyundai Motor Co., the Korean automaker that former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft tried to lure into the Cincinnati area in 2002. But Hyundai put its first U.S. plant -- a billion dollar-plus investment -- in Alabama instead. Many U.S. autoworkers believe imports and foreign carmakers have strangled their industry. Those feelings are especially strong in swing state Ohio, and also in Michigan, and could spill over into the fall campaign. Anti-NAFTA and anti-globalization sentiment are already heated.

The RNC is moving to exploit the issue. It says Shackleford, a former Little Rock, Ark., mayor, is a registered federal lobbyist whose party post is exempt from Barack Obama's decree that shuts off the flow of lobbyist and PAC money to the DNC. The Republicans say Democratic party insiders can still serve as lobbyists. The RNC research department sent this statement out today:

"Shackleford's clients have included Allstate Insurance, FM Policy Focus, ARTEL, Hyundai Motor Co., Jacksonville Electric Authority, Kyocera Corp., Lyondel Chemical Company, Metro-Miami Action Plan Trust, Miami-Dade County (Fla.), NPR, Psychemedics Corporation, Quest Software, Sallie Mae, SBC Communications, and State Farm Insurance."

Amen, Gawker: On McCain Story, The New York Times Let Everyone Down

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Big Apple blog Gawker says the Times sat on the story about John McCain and the lady lobbyist for two months. The wait cheated primary voters who may have wanted to hear more and dig deeper before McCain won the GOP championship. And the story was weak when it appeared -- hardly worth a long delay. Says Gawker:

"There is nothing noble or redeeming about this morning's New York Times story on John McCain's alleged improprieties with a young female lobbyist, nothing remotely cunning, nothing but tragedy. The story is too late for Republican primary voters, too weak to be remembered in the general election, and worst of all, a sad illustration of how the Times regularly squanders its money and reputation dilly-dallying on its biggest stories."

Former Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken: Registers As City Hall Lobbyist

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Democratic mayor left office in 2005. He's been a politician, a lawyer, the TV anchorman on Channel 5 who replaced Jerry Springer, and now a lobbyist. There's a quip going around -- often attributed to Luken -- that if he ever sold used cars he'd have worked in all of the bottom five. Luken filed his registration forms in the council clerk's office. He's representing Humana Inc., the health benefits firm based in Louisville, and KeyCorp, the big regional bank from Cleveland.

Last year, he became a Statehouse lobbyist whose portfolio in Columbus includes Case Western Reserve University, the Distilled Spirits Council, AT&T and the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers. In Cincinnati, Humana is the biggie. The company has thousands of employees and a huge slice of the health insurance benefits business in the Cincinnati area, including government-sponsored plans. Luken had two stints as mayor. They were interrupted by a term representing Ohio's 1st Congressional District, a House seat he gave up to become a local news TV anchor. He is in the record books for serving as mayor longer than any person in Cincinnati's history.