Having been in a position where I was lobbied, or people were coming to me to provide ideas to change legislation or improve a program, I can say that as a public servant and someone in policy, you benefit from having all of the best information among your resources. There is a role that lobbyists play in the policy field. The negative tone usually comes because the media will be playing the negative lobbying that has occurred, rather than because the act.... It doesn't necessarily define a lobbyist; it defines that whose who are communicating with a public office holder to try to attempt.... In doing this, you are capturing the accountants, the lawyers, the professors at university who are experts in their domain and field within lobbying. That, to me, is the importance that lobbyists play in the policy field.
On June 8th, 2009. See this statement in context.