Democratic Congresswoman Dingell: 'I don't think of lobbyists as evil'

'I don't think of lobbyists as evil. I think of them as sources of information and we all study, we want to get all the background information,' Dingell says

By Nicholas Ballasy

Published: January 27, 2021 3:09pm

Updated: January 27, 2021 4:17pm

Democratic Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Committee, described lobbyists as "sources of information" and not evil.

President Biden has signed an executive order that bans appointees in his administration from working as lobbyists within the two years after they leave office.

Dingell was asked how the pandemic has impacted the legislative process on Capitol Hill, given the restrictions on visitors due to coronavirus.

"I don't want to insult the members of the Washington Economic Club but it's been kind of nice and quiet. But the fact of the matter is, is that when we're working on bills, we're taught, I mean, I don't think of lobbyists as evil. I think of them as sources of information," Dingell said on Wednesday during an Economic Club of Washington virtual event.

"And we all study, we want to get all the background information. I miss seeing people. Everybody who knows me knows I'm at 18 events a day, and I like to dig in. I am a person that thinks in so I miss seeing people on the hill. But I want us to be safe on the hill," she also said.