Now the Chippewa have retained a high-powered lobbyist of their own in an effort to get the department to change its decision.

While those negotiations were going on, the builders sent in a team of high-powered lobbyists.

States have tried called on high-powered lobbyists.

Nowhere in the document is there any mention of steps they would take to improve disclosure and reduce the influence of high-powered lobbyists and special interests.

The majority's cynicism in pushing the bill has been as deep as the pockets of the high-powered lobbyists behind it.

"A lot of people are waiting to exhale" said Hazel Gluck, a high-powered Republican lobbyist and former assemblywoman.

High-tech lobbying has become so profitable that some high-powered lobbyists are carving out specialty niches and crossing party lines to do it.

The company, which has excellent political connections and high-powered lobbyists, had been planning to close the mine this month.

An additional source of revenue must be found, and the choice should be based on what is fair, not who has the most high-powered lobbyist.

The bill is being vigorously opposed, just as the commission's proposal was four years ago, by fleet owners and others in the industry with high-powered lobbyists.