Isakowitz, M
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<a href="http://influenceexplorer.com/organization/fierce-isakowitz-blalock/4c176226529b45368b7a287da24f7e7a">http://influenceexplorer.com/organization/fierce-isakowitz-blalock/4c176226529b45368b7a287da24f7e7a</a>
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On Wednesday morning, for example, Romney attended a breakfast fundraiser at the <a data-xslt="http" href="http://www.truckline.com/Pages/Home.aspx">American Trucking Association</a> sponsored by more than a dozen K Street heavy-hitters. Hosts included longtime GOP fundraiser <a data-xslt="http" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/lobbyist.php?id=U00000033451&year=2011">Wayne Berman</a>, who represents the American Petroleum Institute and many others; GOP lobbyist <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/lobbyist.php?id=Y0000040333L&year=2011">Mark Isakowitz</a>, whose lengthy client list includes banks, oil companies and technology firms; and Alex Mistri of the Glover Park Group, which briefly represented Solyndra, the solar-energy firm that went bankrupt after getting a $530 million government loan guarantee.
Perry, whose financial base lies in the oil fields of Texas, also has worked to make inroads into Washington’s lobbying community, recruiting donors to help bundle together contributions and seeking advice from K Street professionals. Last week, Perry held a series of <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/rick-perry-to-hold-economic-and-foreign-policy-meetings-in-washington/2011/10/19/gIQAI5pIwL_blog.html">private policy meetings</a> with about 45 lobbyists, trade group executives and conservative leaders at the National Association of Wholesaler Distributors, whose president and government relations chief are key Perry fundraisers.
Donors said in interviews that it is natural for industry lobbyists to back Romney, Perry or other Republicans, given the party’s traditional image as friendly to business. Most lobbyists say their decision to help raise money for candidates has no connection with their corporate clients, many of which are steering clear of the GOP primary contest.
Some K Street firms are divided on which candidate to support: Although Isakowitz supports Romney, for example, his partner at Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock,<a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/lobbyist.php?id=Blalock%2C%20Kirk&id=Y0000040324L&year=2011"> Kirk Blalock</a>, is helping raise money for Perry.
“I was a Republican before I was a lobbyist,” said Blalock, who represents dozens of major corporations including BP, Coca-Cola and Time Warner. “For me it’s about working for a cause I believe in and not about my business of lobbying.”</p>