K Street, watchdogs praise new lobbying rules

Lobbyists and government watchdogs are applauding revisions made by the White House on Friday to lobbying restrictions on stimulus funds. After completing a 60-day review last week, the administration modified the rules to extend a speaking ban not just to lobbyists but to others who contact government officials about specific stimulus projects. But that ban only occurs now after a grant application has been filed for the project. Those interested in the project have to file their views in writing with administration officials, which will then be disclosed on the Internet. All contacts with lobbyists will still have to be disclosed, though. The changes were announced in a blog post by Norm Eisen, the special counsel to President Obama for ethics and government reform, on the White House's website Friday evening.