Who Does Ed Gillespie Show Up For? Let’s Take a Look

During last night’s gubernatorial debate, career lobbyist Ed Gillespie proclaimed proudly “I did show up for my clients…and was effective on their behalf.” So who were those clients for whom he advocated so effectively?

• Gillespie lobbied for Enron, pocketing big bucks to represent the disgraced company ahead of their gigantic scandal.
• Gillespie lobbied on behalf of Nelnet, a predatory student loan company, and worked against measures that would make college more affordable for Virginia families.
• Gillespie lobbied for Tyson Foods, helping the firm handle labor violations and other issues for years.
• Gillespie represented the Institute of Energy Research, a group that denies the science of climate change.
• And many more—but we don’t know because Gillespie has refused to disclose information about all of his clients.

“If a gaffe is when a politician accidentally tells the truth, Gillespie made the gaffe of a lifetime last night,” said DGA Communications Director Jared Leopold. “He openly admitted to Virginia voters that he ‘shows up’ for the special interests who line his pockets, not the hardworking families he is running to serve.”

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