Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Diagnosed with Early Stage Breast Cancer

A lobbyist is specifically paid to influence government decisions. Do you need to reread that??? Usually, this means laws, regulations, or policies on behalf of a client. Those clients can be corporations, unions, advocacy groups, nonprofits, or even entire industries.

Lobbyists typically:

• Meet with members of Congress or staff (like in the United States Congress)

• Provide research, data, or arguments to support their client’s position

• Help draft legislation or suggest policy language

• Organize campaigns, advertising, or grassroots pressure

• Build relationships with policymakers over time

While lobbying itself isn’t illegal—in fact, it’s protected under the First Amendment (right to petition the government), people often view it negatively for a few key reasons. There is a reason why lobbyists have such a bad reputation. It’s so ironic that Donald Trump ran his first campaign with such an anti-lobbyist message, and then he made Wiles the head of his campaign, “the lobbyist of all lobbyists”! So why are they so hated, and how did they poison politics forever?

The money equals influence factor. Big corporations and wealthy groups can afford powerful lobbyists, which creates the perception (and sometimes reality) that rich interests have more say than ordinary citizens, and policies may favor donors over the public

A game of “revolving door” politics. Many lobbyists are former politicians or staffers. For example, someone might work in Congress, then leave to lobby their former colleagues. This raises concerns about insider access and favoritism. And shouldn’t it, by the way?

The complete lack of transparency. While there are disclosure laws, a lot of lobbying happens behind closed doors, and through indirect influence (think campaign donations or political action committees)

You also have special interests vs. the public’s interest. Lobbyists are paid to push their client’s agenda, not necessarily what’s best for everyone. That can mean fighting regulations (like environmental or safety rules), or protecting profits over broader societal concerns.

And perhaps the worst part of it, is the association with corruption. Even when legal, lobbying can appear to look like they are “buying” access to politicians, and trading money for influence.

In fairness, not all lobbying is viewed negatively. Some groups rely on lobbyists to advocate for important causes like civil rights organizations, environmental groups, and Veterans’ associations. Without lobbying, lawmakers might only hear from the most powerful voices. So in those cases, there are positive attributes.

Susie Wiles has had a long career in politics, lobbying, and consulting, not just for politicians, but for major firms and companies as well. She’s worked across major lobbying firms, her own firms, and a wide range of corporate clients.

She lobbied for Mercury Public Affairs, where she was the co-chair, and had clients tied to the firm (not all directly hers) that included AT&T and SpaceX. This was her most recent major private-sector role before becoming Chief of Staff. She was a managing partner at Ballard Partners, which is one of the most powerful pro-Trump lobbying firms in the U.S. This is where she did the bulk of her corporate lobbying work.