Revolving Door On Capitol Hill HamstringsCUNA Lobby

WASHINGTON - (04/14/06) – CUNA’s new top lobbyistsJohn Magill and Dean Sagar were hired recently because of theirconnections with Congressman Wally Herger, a senior Republican onthe tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee and the HouseFinancial Services Committee. The only problem is that theircontacts with the two committees will be severally limited bycongressional lobbying rules. Congressional lobbying rules willprevent Magill from lobbying his old boss and former colleagues onHerger’s staff, and will bar Sagar from lobbying theFinancial Services Committee for one year after they leave CapitolHill, according to Mark Wolff, chief spokesman for CUNA. But underthe fine print of the lobbying rules, each new CUNA vice presidentwill be able to answer calls from their former colleagues, theyjust won’t be able to initiate them, according to Wolff. ButWolff said CUNA expects the experience in Congress and knowledge ofthe issues to benefit CUNA even though the two will not be able tolobby their former colleagues. Sagar’s role was questionedthis week on Capitol Hill after CUNA attributed news of a hearingbefore the Financial Services Committee to the newly hiredlobbyist. "Dean has been careful. He knows the rules well and isbeing careful not to violate them,” Wolff told The CreditUnion Journal, noting that other CUNA lobbyists will work withSagar’s old committee. “The benefit that he brings tous is his insight and experience.”