Former Rep. David Obey joins lobby firm

Gephardt highlighted Obey’s value as someone who knows the nitty-gritty details of federal spending. Obey also served as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee and was a member of the Budget Committee.

Obey would be eligible to lobby his former colleagues beginning in 2012. Members of Congress must wait at least one year before lobbying current representatives and senators, according to lobbying laws. 

The statement did not specify whether Obey plans to lobby for the firm.

“Dick Gephardt and Tom O’Donnell are the most able and decent people I’ve ever worked with in government,” Obey said about the firm’s partners in the same statement. “They have a tremendous capacity to talk to anyone, and more importantly, to listen to anyone. I look forward to joining the team.”