Drain Trump’s Swamp

Under federal law, former members of the House are barred from lobbying Congress for one year after leaving office.  A recent report explained how Congressman Alex Mooney skirted the spirit and intent of these anti-corruption laws.

His lobbying work with Capitol South illustrates a textbook example of how former lawmakers sidestep lobbying bans—and how cosmetic the current restrictions really are. But as Popular Information and Source Code uncovered, Mooney participated in a Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) webinar just eight weeks after his departure.

During the event, CEA leadership described Mooney and Capitol South founder Marty Irby as “lobbyists representing Christian Employers Alliance on the Hill.”  Mooney offered no clarification, instead using the opportunity to defend the lobbying profession and discuss recent legislative conversations with sitting members of Congress. That’s not subtle—and it’s not harmless.

It’s a pattern we’ve seen before: former lawmakers slide seamlessly into the role of “consultant,” engaging in what the public would rightly recognize as influence-peddling, but stopping just short of formally registering as lobbyists. It’s a shadow system that trades on access, name recognition, and ambiguity.

Mooney’s case is particularly egregious given his prior ethics record. The Office of Congressional Ethics previously found “substantial reason to believe” he accepted impermissible gifts, misused official resources for personal benefit, and may have falsified records to obstruct an ethics probe. These aren’t technical errors or mere slip-ups, they’re violations of public trust. Given this, the fact that his post-office behavior is already raising legal questions is, unfortunately, not surprising.

This kind of conduct reinforces why bipartisan majorities of voters support stricter lobbying bans—and why recent proposals, even including a lifetime ban on lobbying for former members, deserve serious attention. Without meaningful enforcement and reform, the revolving door will keep spinning.

Remember Trump pardoned over 1500 people convicted or awaiting trial for their role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including those convicted of assaulting police officers, using deadly weapons, and destroying government property.