Lobbyist Week, Day 2: Loeffler and Friends and EADS

Thomas Loeffler: Campaign co-chair, top fundraising official. Resigned.
According to the New York Times, Loeffler, along with other members of the McCain campaign, lobbied on behalf of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), which recently won the $35 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the Air Force, beating out American company Boeing for this key military contract. McCain himself wrote letters to the Defense Department pressuring them to disregard a prior United States fair trade dispute with Airbus -- Airbus (part of the EADS) receives illegal government subsidies in Europe, allowing them to offer a lower bid for the contract.

Loeffler has also represented the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, arranging meetings between Saudi officials and Karl Rove three months after 9/11. Loeffler also set up and attended a meeting between a Saudi official and John McCain in May 2006.

According to the L.A. Times, Loeffler also represented Hong Kong, pharmaceutical companies, the nuclear power industry, and Metabolife (an ephedra-containing weight-loss stimulant that killed people and was eventually pulled off the market).

Susan Nelson: Finance Director
Worked for Loeffler’s firm, lobbying for EADS. When she left the firm to work on the McCain campaign full-time, Loeffler suddenly started paying her $15,000 a month for a number of months (severance pay??). Several months later, Nelson was rehired as a consultant to Loeffler’s firm while she was still on the McCain payroll, in violation of federal election law.

William Ball: Campaign Fundraiser
Worked for the Loeffler group as a lobbyist for EADS (see above).

Wayne Berman: Campaign Vice-Chairman
Lobbied on behalf of EADS (see above) with Ogilvy Government Relations.

Kirk Blalock: National chair for Young Professionals for John McCain
Lobbied on behalf of EADS (see above) with Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock.