New GOP plan: Contract for Exxon Lobbyist

This morning, Republican House leaders unveiled “A Pledge to America,” a 45-page glossy pamphlet laced with tax cuts and promises to cut spending and clean up Congress. It was no surprise that the GOP leadership laid their planks in such a highly orchestrated fashion: at a lumber store outside of Washington.

What is surprising, however - or, I suppose, not surprising in the slightest, depending on how cynical you are - is who wrote the GOP's new plan: a former lobbyist for Exxon Mobil and Andarko Petroleum Corp. From Huffington Post:

In a draft version of The Pledge that was being passed around to reporters before the official release, the document properties list "Wild, Brian" as the "Author." A GOP source said that Wild -- who is on House Minority Leader John Boehner's payroll -- did help author the governing platform that the party is unveiling on Thursday...

Until early this year, Wild was a fairly active lobbyist on behalf of the firm the Nickles Group, the lobbying shop set up by the former Republican Senator from Oklahoma, Don Nickles. During his five years at the firm, Wild, among others, was paid...$800,000 from energy giant Andarko Petroleum...[and] more than $1.3 million from Exxon Mobil..."

Wild also served as a lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where he helped steer more than $34 million worth of lobbying activity for the group that works overtime for Big Oil.

Paints a pretty clear picture of where the priorities of GOP leadership truly lie.