Staff Reports
The Washington Examiner’s latest scoop reveals that Senator Tammy Baldwin is straddling both sides of the political fence, and boy, oh boy, it’s one wild ride through the revolving door!
The Badger State’s junior senator has been beating the drum about the “revolving door” between government and K Street, but it looks like that very same door is spinning faster than ever. According to the Examiner, Senator Baldwin has been blasting the constant flow of taxpayer-backed staffers to private industry, claiming that it poses conflicts of interest and leaves working families in the dust. However, it seems like the door is swinging both ways, as her office has seen a steady stream of staffers heading to lobbying firms, with some even throwing campaign donations her way.
How Tammy Baldwin profits from the DC lobbyist ‘revolving door’ she often slams
Baldwin, according to records reviewed by @dcexaminer, rakes in thousands from lobbyists who used to work in her office. https://t.co/4v06t1xLau
— Gabe Kaminsky (@gekaminsky) April 23, 2024
The Republican war cry is that after almost four decades as a career politician, Senator Baldwin is no longer looking out for Wisconsin but is instead cozying up to the special interests that have taken up residence in her office. This has set the stage for a fierce showdown in the upcoming 2024 election, with businessman Eric Hovde stepping up to the plate as the GOP’s great hope to unseat Baldwin.
Baldwin’s campaign website boasts of her efforts to slow the revolving door and hold Washington accountable, but the seemingly never-ending spin cycle in her own office tells a different story. The Examiner’s deep dive into campaign finance records exposes how former staffers who transitioned to lobbying roles have opened their wallets for their old boss, further fueling the Republican narrative that Senator Baldwin is the special interests’ best friend.
One such former staffer turned lobbyist, Jeremy Steslicki, has been particularly busy, doling out hefty sums to Baldwin’s campaign while lobbying on behalf of Wisconsin-based groups that secured federal funding, thanks in part to Baldwin’s votes. The exodus from Baldwin’s office doesn’t stop there, with the likes of David Stacy and Elizabeth Pika Sharp also making their mark in the lobbying world and continuing to support Baldwin with their campaign contributions.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee isn’t pulling any punches, branding Baldwin as “beholden to special interests, not the people of Wisconsin.” With the Wisconsin Senate race shaping up to be a nail-biter, and a recent poll showing a dead heat between Baldwin and Hovde among likely voters, it’s clear that the revolving door saga is set to become a central battleground in this high-stakes political showdown.
The Washington Examiner’s explosive report paints a picture of a senator who talks the talk about curbing the revolving door but seems to have turned a blind eye to the comings and goings in her own office. As the 2024 election heats up, one thing is for sure: the revolving door drama will be a high-octane feature in the fight for Baldwin’s Senate seat.
