Ed Gillespie’s career of lobbying for corporate interests is long, and his success has often come at the expense of hardworking Virginians.

FACT CHECK: He’ll Stand Up To Special Interests? Gillespie Has No Special Interest In You

Ed Gillespie Says in Newest Ad: “Special interests have too much sway over policy in Richmond right now”

Yet Gillespie Has One of the Most Robust Lobbying Resumes in Washington

Gillespie’s Corporate Lobbying Success Often Came At Virginians’ Expense

Richmond, Va. — Ed Gillespie’s career of lobbying for corporate interests is long, and his success has often come at the expense of hardworking Virginians. In his newest ad today, Gillespie boasts that “special interests have too much sway over policy in Richmond right now.”

Yet, Trump’s top Virginia lobbyist has a resume of lobbying for the student-loan industry as it was fighting for profits over students, representing Enron, and “turned his relationship with President Bush into an $18-million business.” Now, dark money Koch-funded organizations like Americans for Prosperity are pumping money into Virginia to help get Gillespie elected, despite Ed’s pledge to crack down on special interests.

“Virginians will never buy the story that Gillespie will stand up to special interests when he made his millions as a corporate lobbyist representing companies like Enron. That’s like a gator trying to go vegan.” said Northam spokeswoman Christina Freundlich. “Gillespie’s corporate lobbying success and work for dark money political organizations often came at the expense of Virginians. And now, dark money organizations are pumping money into helping get Gillespie elected as if he was registered as the Koch lobbyist. The only special interest Gillespie has is in himself, the wealthy, and Donald Trump.”

Below are a few excerpts praising the work from Ed Gillespie’s corporate lobbying firm, Quinn, Gillespie and Associates:

The Washington Post, June, 2002

“At the juncture where lobbying, politics and punditry meet – where traditional job descriptions and professional restraints have virtually evaporated – Ed Gillespie has emerged as a one-stop power broker. He advises top White House officials, works for GOP congressional campaigns, lobbies for major corporations and opines on political talk shows.”

National Journal, November, 2001

“Today, Quinn Gillespie is in the top tier of K Street firms. For the first time, the firm broke into the list of the 10 top lobbying firms in Washington, ranking tenth in National Journal’s midyear 2001 survey.”

The Federal Paper, October, 2002

“Gillespie also advises the White House, which puts him in a perfect position to help his clients. ‘Ed conveys what the president and the people around him want conveyed’ and that helps him sway policymakers toward his clients’ views as well, one Republican lobbyist said of Gillespie. The lobbyist added that Gillespie uses ‘the appropriate intensity’ in delivering his message, whether helping the White House or working for a client, and that his involvement in shaping the message gives it more legitimacy with policymakers.”

FORTUNE, May, 2001

Quinn Gillespie & Associates ranked 11 in “The Power 25,” FORTUNE’s list of Washington’s most powerful lobbying groups.

What to know about Ed Gillespie’s record of lobbying to protect corporate interests’ bottom line?

Gillespie Made Millions As A Corporate Lobbyist Helping Wealthy Special Interests

Ed Gillespie “Made His Fortune” At Lobbying Firm That He Sold For $40 Million, Represented Enron, Chamber of Commerce, and Microsoft. “Gillespie made his fortune as a partner with Democrat Jack Quinn in a lobbying firm that they reportedly sold for $40 million in 2004. Among the company’s clients were Enron, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft, Tyson Foods, Viacom, PricewaterhouseCoopers and DaimlerChrysler, according to the watchdog group Public Citizen.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1/17/14]

Gillespie “Turned His Relationship With President Bush Into An $18-Million Business,” Represented AT&T, Sony, Drug Companies, Canadian Lumber Producers. “Edward Gillespie, Quinn Gillespie & Associates. The Democrats may have won Congress, but the White House is still in Republican hands, and this former RNC chair has turned his relationship with President Bush into an $18-million business. A onetime aide to Republican House majority leader Richard Armey, Gillespie helped draft the “Contract With America” that accompanied the GOP victory in 1994. When the White House needed help pushing the Supreme Court nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito through Congress, Gillespie was happy to step in with free advice. Gillespie partners with Democratic powerhouse Jack Quinn to make sure all bases are covered. His blue-chip client list includes AT&T, Sony, and big drug companies. Some of his largest fees have come from Canadian lumber producers seeking access to US markets.” [Washingtonian, 6/1/07]

• Gillespie’s Old Boss, Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Said Gillespie’s “Favorite Line Was, ‘Dick, I Make More Money By Knowing You Than You Make By Being You.’” “Dick Armey, the former House majority leader, on whose staff Mr. Gillespie worked for a decade, is among them. ‘His favorite line was, ‘Dick, I make more money by knowing you than you make by being you,’’ Mr. Armey said.” [New York Times, 5/16/04]

Gillespie Lobbied For The Student-Loan Industry As It Fought For Profits Over Students

Gillespie’s Lobbying Firm Worked For Nelnet And Bank Of America As The Student Loan Industry Fought Efforts To Reduce Interest Rates And Promote Direct Lending. “The new Democratic majority pushed student loan reform to the forefront of the national agenda within the first 100 hours of the 110th congressional session by passing the College Student Relief Act; this would reduce interest rates under both the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and Direct Loan program. The bill paid for the cuts by increasing various fees and decreasing lender insurance rates. Over in the Senate, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, held a hearing on college affordability in February. He also introduced two bills that encourage borrowers to use the government’s loan programs before taking out private loans. Loan providers are not taking the threat lightly. Although they are very tight-lipped about their lobbying tactics, they’ve got deep pockets and plenty of connections to make their case. In 2006, SLM Corp., Sallie Mae’s parent company, paid $1.62 million in lobbying expenses, about 8 percent of the $19,822,687 total paid by the finance and credit industry, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Nelnet has a gold-star lobbying team of Quinn Gillespie & Associates, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, VPR Associates and Clark & Associates. Quinn also represents fellow America’s Student Loan Providers member Bank of America.” [Politico, 3/20/07]

• January 2007 – June 2007: Ed Gillespie Lobbied For Bank Of America On “Student Loan” Issues. According to Congressional lobbying disclosure forms, Ed Gillespie was a registered lobbyist for Bank of America from July 2006 to June 30, 2007. From January to June 2007, lobbying disclosure forms indicate Gillespie’s lobbying firm lobbied on “Student Loans/Budget” issues for Bank of America by contacting the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Treasury, the Department of Education, and the Department of Commerce. [2006 Year-End Lobbying Report, Filed 2/12/07; 2007 Midyear Lobbying Report, Filed 8/14/07]

• July 2006 – June 2007: Gillespie Lobbied For Nelnet On “Higher Education Reauthorization” Issues. According to Congressional lobbying disclosure forms, Ed Gillespie was a registered lobbyist for Nelnet from July 2006 to June 2007. From July 2006 to June 2007, lobbying disclosure forms indicate Gillespie’s lobbying firm lobbied on “Higher Education Reauthorization” issues for Nelnet by contacting the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Executive Office of the President, and the Department of Education. [2006 Year-End Lobbying Report, Filed 2/14/07; 2007 Midyear Lobbying Report, Filed 8/13/07]

January 2007: House Democrats Introduced A Bill To Halve Interest Rates On Federally Subsidized Student Loans, Which “Drew Immediate Criticism From The Student Loan Industry.” “House Democrats on Friday unveiled a bill that would cut interest rates on federally subsidized loans to college students by half over the next five years. They said they would finance the $6 billion measure by increasing costs that lenders pay to the government and reducing the largest lenders’ government-guaranteed profits. […] While applauded by student advocacy groups, the bill drew immediate criticism from the student loan industry, which complained that it had already absorbed $12 billion in reduced payments from the government as part of a larger, Republican-led deficit reduction effort last year.” [New York Times, 1/13/07]

• The House Bill Had “Lobbyists For Banks And Student Loan Groups Scrambling.” “With the clock already ticking on Congressional Democrats’ ‘100 hour’ package, one item in particular has lobbyists for banks and student loan groups scrambling. To make good on their 2006 campaign pledge to lower interest rates on student loans, Democrats in the coming days are slated to introduce a bill that student lenders worry will cut directly into their profits.” [Roll Call, 1/10/07]

• The Senate Version Was “Expected To Be Considered As Part Of The Upcoming Debate Over The Higher Education Reauthorization Act.” “The estimated cost of the House bill is close to $6 billion over five years, which would be paid for by reducing the profits and increasing the fees of the top 1 percent of student loan providers that participate in the Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) program. That top 1 percent of lenders is made up of about 30 companies that provide 90 percent of all student loans. Not surprisingly, the lenders are less than pleased. They contend that the cuts to their bottom line will have an impact on student borrowers. […] In the Senate, however, the bill is unlikely to be taken up as stand-alone legislation. But it is expected to be considered as part of the upcoming debate over the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, said Bill Parsons, ACE’s associate director of government relations.” [CNN Money, 1/17/07]

• Credit Union Journal: “Lenders Have Launched A Full-Scale Lobby Against The Democrats’ Plan.” “The new Democratic majority approved a bill that would cut interest rates on guaranteed student loans in half, at the expense of banks, credit unions and other student lenders, setting up a confrontation with President Bush. […] Lowering the interest rates would save a four-year college student who started school in 2007 about $2,280 over the life of the Stafford loan. The average student who begins school in 2011 would save even more, about $4,420. Under the Democrats’ plan the $6 billion in estimated savings for students would be made up in higher fees on participants in the student loan program. Consequently, lenders have launched a full-scale lobby against the Democrats’ plan.” [Credit Union Journal, 1/22/07]