Tim Pawlenty Says He’s No Lobbyist And Simply Oversaw Them

Conservatives Declare Announcement A “Belly Flop”, Describe Him As “Rattled”

After months of buildup, and plenty of time to prepare for the inevitable questions about his lobbying career, Tim Pawlenty failed his first test last Friday in attempting to explain exactly what he did in D.C.
You may believe the Financial Services Roundtable (FSR) – regularly described as a “financial services lobbying group” – is, in fact, a lobbying association and its CEO would be accurately described as its most high-profile lobbyist.
Well, according to Tim Pawlenty, you would be mistaken. Here’s what he said on the BS Show:
Bob Sansever: Now, so eight years you’ve been in Washington. Were you a lobbyist? Explain to people who don’t know.
Tim Pawlenty: Yes. Alright so I was the CEO of this thing called the Financial Service Roundtable. It’s a trade association of large financial service companies, some of which are in New York, most aren’t. But a bunch of companies like U.S Bank, like Ameriprise and Securion, good companies even in Minnesota.  And I was the CEO of it and they had a lobbying function, it was a big part of what did they did, but I wasn’t a registered lobbyist myself, but I oversaw that.
For the definition of a tortured answer, see above.
“Tim Pawlenty doesn’t seem to want to talk about his last five years as a D.C. lobbyist for Wall Street, and that’s understandable,” said Deputy Communications Director David Turner.“Unfortunately, this leaves him with his record as governor – ballooning deficits, underfunded schools, and high unemployment. I look forward to getting his postcard from that place between a rock and a hard place, because he’s going to be there this entire election.”
For the record, Tim Pawlenty has been a lobbyist since he was announced as CEO of the FSR. He has never disputed this title until now, even lending a quote to this New York Times Story announcement of his joining FSR, titled, “Pawlenty To Become Wall Street Lobbyist.”

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