Joe Lieberman formally registers as lobbyist for Chinese telecom giant ZTE

[douglas9]

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) has officially filed as a lobbyist for Chinese telecom company ZTE, registration forms released Wednesday confirmed.

ZTE has long been under fire from U.S. officials and members of Congress who say the company could endanger national security by providing espionage opportunities for the Chinese government.

Though the well-connected Lieberman was thought to be hired to help take pressure off of the embattled ZTE, his firm Kasowitz Benson Torres (KBT) — the law firm of President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney Marc Kasowitz — tells a different story.

Clarine Nardi Riddle, chair of the firm’s Government Affairs and Strategic Counsel Practice Group and Lieberman’s former chief of staff in the Senate who also registered as a lobbyist for ZTE, said Lieberman is not actually “lobbying” for ZTE but rather is gathering concerns about the company from lawmakers and officials.

“Senator Lieberman is conducting a national security assessment investigation, where he will listen to congressional, executive branch, and customer national security concerns, but will not be attempting to influence them nor advocate on ZTE’s behalf,” Nardi Riddle told the Center for Responsive Politics in an email.

“His mission is to listen, assess and then make recommendations to ZTE on how to address U.S. national security concerns. While these activities are not associated with the common understanding of “lobbying,” the Lobbying and Disclosure Act can be interpreted to require registration because he is meeting with “covered officials” under the statute. Out of an abundance of caution, Senator Lieberman will register under the LDA so that there will be no question about his and ZTE’s transparency and compliance.”

The LDA disclosure reiterates the refrain that Lieberman and KBT are not advocating for ZTE but have decided to register under the LDA “in the interest of transparency and caution.”

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/01/joe-lieberman-formally-registers-as-lobbyist-for-chinese-telecom-giant-zte/

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. He will do ANYTHING for $$. nt

[mikeysnot]

2. DINO Joe strikes again.

[SunSeeker]

15. He is not a Democrat, not even in name only. He is an Independent.

Has been a declared Independent since 2007.

[mikeysnot]

16. yeah right

he lost his primary in 2006...

During his Senate re-election bid in 2006, Lieberman lost the Democratic Party primary election, but won re-election in the general election as a third party candidate under the "Connecticut for Lieberman" party label. Never a member of that party, he remained a registered Democrat while he ran.[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman

[SunSeeker]

17. As your Wiki link says, he is an independent.

A former member of the Democratic Party, he was its nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2000 election. He is currently an independent politician.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman

[mikeysnot]

18. Right NOW.

now that his political career is over.... DINO while he was a Senator... as the WIKI page stated.

It's the little things...

[SunSeeker]

19. He switched to independent to run for the Senate and won in 2006.

Although he caucused with Dems, he was an independent in his last years as Senator:

Lieberman’s stance on Iraq and his support of the Bush administration’s War on Terror drew a Democratic primary challenge in 2006. Backed by antiwar and online left wing activists, Greenwich businessman and political neophyte Ned Lamont upset Lieberman, 52-48.

Lieberman promptly switched his party affiliation to Independent and went on to beat Lamont by ten points in the general election, thanks in part to a weak showing by the Republican.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/lists/senators-who-switched-parties/joseph-lieberman.html

He was designated by the Senate as an indepedent ("ID" ) in his 2009 vote on the ACA, not a Democrat ("D" ).
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00396

[mikeysnot]

21. So in other word a DINO

and caucused with the Democrats.

[SunSeeker]

22. No, a indepedent who caucused with Dems.

He was obviously a hawkish Democrat before leaving the party in 2006, but compared to today's Republicans, he was a moderate.

[mikeysnot]

23. Oh for fucks sake dude he was a dino

when he was a Dem, deal with it what he became afterwards is irreverent.

[SunSeeker]

24. He, as an independent, was the reason we don't have the public option, so he was quite relevant.

Unfortunately.

[mikeysnot]

25. He was not the only reason we do not have a public option

unfortunately, please stay on topic he is still a dino.

[SunSeeker]

27. Wrong. He is not "still a dino." He is an independent.

He was a conservative Democrat pre-2006.

[mikeysnot]

31. wrong

once a dino always a dino.

He can change his name to throat wobbler mangrove and he is still a dino. Cannot revise history.

I am starting to get the impression that you are the type that thinks by posting last you "won"....

[SunSeeker]

32. Well, if you don't care what words mean, I guess you can call anyone anything.

[mikeysnot]

33. .....

[Cracklin Charlie]

3. Spots are starting to appear on some of these leopards.

Is there no American company or industry they can lobby for?

These guys are selling their own country out for laundered Chinese money. It’s disgusting.

How much money does Joe need? Maybe if we cut him a check, he can stop selling them our future.

[montanacowboy]

4. Joe is filth

through and through a low life scumbag

[Va Lefty]

5. Still can't believe Gore nominated this pos for VP

[PoliticAverse]

10. He was almost John McCain's choice for VP as well...

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/politics/McCain-Was-Leaning-Toward-Lieberman-Adviser-81127212.html

[Bob Loblaw]

6. Of course he did

[Paladin]

7. The dirty little pimp. Some things never change. (nt)

[Downtown Hound]

8. Wish I could say I was surprised

The biggest mistake Gore ever made was choosing this pile of excrement as his VP.

[Power 2 the People]

9. LOL

[Miigwech]

11. Always believed Al Gore

made a massive mistake by choosing Lieberman as VP running mate. No dis for Al Gore ... love him, voted for him but never could figure out why he selected Lie be rman. Is it OK to dis ex-Democrats?

[zipplewrath]

26. Go back in time

Gore was convinced he needed to "separate" himself from Clinton. Lieberman was the guy that did the whole senate speech scolding Clinton for what he had done. It was seen at the time as the attempt to "balance" the ticket. That was all the rage at the time. Democrats were supposed to have a liberal and a centrist on the same ticket.

As time has gone on, and new races have been run, I think the wisdom of that strategy has been proven wrong. First of all, no one really pays attention to the VP anyway. Bush II ran with Cheney for goodness sake. And about all it does is emphasize those areas where historical statements don't match with the current platform. Better to have two centrists, or two progressives, or two Blue Dogs who can both be self consistent and consistent with each other.

But hindsight is 20/20.

[marybourg]

28. I paid attention to the VP, and refused to vote for Gore

because of the poor judgment and cynicism he showed in selecting Lieberman. And I met many other Dems that year who felt the same. That’s why Gore lost, in my opinion.

[zipplewrath]

29. Depends upon where you lived

It was only "close" in a very few states. Probably the most significant problem was a ballot design in Florida that had old Jews voting for Buchanan.

[Fuzzpope]

12. Immortal turds float forever..

Despicable little vermin person.

[Marcuse]

13. First collusion with Republicans, and now the Chinese.

[SunSeeker]

14. K & R for exposure.

[MFGsunny]

20. K & R ... to highlight this sellout!

[keithbvadu2]

30. ZTE the company involved in hacking America's cybersecurity. The Chinese jobs Trump was protecting

ZTE the company involved in hacking America's cybersecurity.

The Chinese jobs Trump was protecting.