[Hoot Gibson]

Misconception can be a noisome and lasting detriment to the people. The article below gives some measure of insight into how lobbyists likely got their "slimy" and largely unjustified reputations.

ARTICLE EXCERPT---
"More than 140 years later, the public perception of lobbying and lobbyists is largely unchanged in America. Thanks to unscrupulous figures like Jack Abramoff, who admitted spending $1 million a year on tickets to sporting events and concerts for congressmen and their staffers, we equate the word "lobbyist" with corruption [source: Stahl]. On the surface, there appears to be a simple solution to the corrupting influence of lobbyists: make lobbying illegal. But not only would that be disastrous for the American political and legislative process, it would also be unconstitutional.

The First Amendment of the Constitution enshrines the "right of the people... to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Lobbying is one of the means by which "the people" -- as represented by individuals, corporations, nonprofit organizations, professional associations and other entities -- "petition" elected officials to take up their cause."
https://people.howstuffworks.com/lobbying.htm

That being said I chose to cite the article above because it demonstrates the potential for abuse that hitter doesn't like. Corrupt politicians will find a way to do corrupt things.

The revolving door between politics and lobbying firms should not come as a shock to anybody, but organizations like the NRA and the KCA do a lot of good work. It is my belief that politicians corrupt more lobbyists than vice versa.

Politicians love to demonize lobbyists on the campaign trail, but lobbying is the second career of choice for many of those same politicians when they lose elections or decide to retire.

I love seeing crooked lobbyists sent to prison almost as much as I enjoy seeing politicians caught abusing their power placed in cages. Too many of them escape justice while getting filthy rich scamming the public.