Former Democratic aide reaches out

Robert Raben doesn’t care which party you belong to, as long as you share his interest in getting legislation passed.  

Even though he’s head of one of the more successful all-Democratic firms in Washington, the Raben Group , the Miami native said he would work with and hire whomever — Democrat, Republican, even “striped” — to get the job done. His clients veer from progressive policy organizations to multinational companies.

{mosads}“I may not go to a dinner party with you. We may not get down on our knees and pray together,” he said. “We work on stuff we agree to. Period.”

That approach appears to be working. Raben’s firm has seen “explosive growth” since Democrats assumed control over Capitol Hill, according to the lobbyist. Revenue has doubled. His staff size has increased, from 12 employees to 30. Situated six floors above the Human Rights Campaign ’s headquarters in downtown D.C., the firm also has an office on Capitol Hill and in Los Angeles.

“There is a lot of pent-up demand, 12 years or more,” said Raben. The former aide to Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) anticipated corporations signing up with his firm — many have, such as General Electric and Home Depot — but he has been surprised by how many nonprofit groups are looking for lobbyists to advance their causes.

A big reason is that Democrats are now in charge. The party and its policy positions have moved from a defensive crouch to an offensive posture, partly because so many liberal heroes are in chairmanships, such as Frank, head of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

But that hasn’t always been the case. Raben’s six years on Capitol Hill were mostly under Republican authority. As Frank’s chief counsel for the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Raben was a top Democratic aide working against the GOP’s Contract With America.

Frank said Raben has “superb political judgment.”

“He was very good on defense as well as in a bipartisan, cooperative way,” said the Massachusetts Democrat.

Raben envied congressional aides back when he worked at the law firm Arnold & Porter .

“I looked over the fence and saw this cadre of nerds on Capitol Hill who were passionate about their jobs,” said Raben. “Even if the boss is a jerk, they love what they do.”

Raben canvassed 30 lawmakers in the early 1990s who championed the most progressive causes. Frank was his second interview. The two were quick to take to each other.

“I said, ‘I can’t afford you.’ He gently rebuked me and said that was not up to me,” said Frank. Raben joined his staff soon after in 1993.  

His move to the public sector was such a success that in 1999 Attorney General Janet Reno tapped Raben to head up the Office of Legislative Affairs for the Justice Department. He was sworn into his position in Bobby Kennedy’s old office. His entire family was present for the ceremony.

“I don’t think there was a Raben missing,” said Reno. The ex-attorney general appreciated his skills while at Justice.

“He avoided partisan bickering and worked together with others to solve problems [rather] than let the problem go on,” she said.

While in government, Raben has not only left his mark legislatively but has defended his peers as well.

Openly gay, he is one of the founding members of the Congressional Lesbian and Gay Staff Association. The group was created in 1994 after several lawmakers said they would not hire gay or lesbian aides.

“It was a different world, 1994. It was a different world,” said Raben. “Being gay was perceived as a professional stigma.”

Today, the association remains vibrant and Washington has changed for the better. Raben said his sexuality is now a non-issue and comes up very little during his lobbying.

One national foundation, however, was concerned in the past about having a gay lobbyist. Yet the foundation soon became a client after a Republican chief counsel called them to say how effective Raben was.

“I can’t pretend that it doesn’t come up in some people’s minds, but I have no complaints,” said Raben.

Those relationships with the other side of the aisle have served Raben well. He has worked with Republicans on a number of issues, creating coalitions between liberal and conservative groups to achieve policy goals.

“Robert is smart as a whip, as well-connected in Washington as anyone, and possessed of a magnificent sense of humor,” said former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.). The two have worked together on a number of issues, such as the Patriot Act’s civil rights implications as well as constitutional issues for the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

“When things start moving fast, he understands what pressure you’re under, what pressure your boss is under,” said Phil Kiko, of counsel with Foley & Lardner. The two worked together when Raben was a lobbyist and Kiko was chief counsel for the House Judiciary Committee under Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.).

In the end, Raben doesn’t seem to mind working with Democrats or Republicans.

“I’m here to work on public policy,” Raben said. “I’m not here to start my own cult.”