John McCain says he wants to "[s]top the revolving door" of lobbyists in Washington, but if his campaign is any indication lobbyists would play a central role in a McCain Administration.

McCain's double-talk on lobbying reform is another example of Senator McCain thinking the rules apply to everyone but himself.

• McCain's campaign is being run by lobbyists, many of whom lobbied for industries or foreign governments McCain has talked about on the campaign trail.

• In recent days, revelations about just how significant a role lobbyists are playing and their links to certain entities have led to the resignation of a number of campaign aides in an effort to save face for the candidate.

• In light of Rick Davis's memo and the resignation of McCain finance co-chair Tom Loeffler, it remains to be seen if McCain will stand by his word and fire top advisers Charlie Black for lobbying from the back of the "Straight Talk Express" and Rick Davis, who has lobbied for foreign clients throughout his career.

McCain Officials Resign Because of Lobbying Backgrounds. Many McCain campaign advisers have resigned in the course of a week after it was revealed they were lobbyists, [politico.com, 5/18/08]

Campaign Official Lies About Lobbying McCain. McCain’s finance co-chair Tom Loeffler last month told a reporter 'at no time have I discussed my clients with John McCain.' But lobbying disclosure records reviewed by NEWSWEEK show that on May 17, 2006, Loeffler listed meeting McCain along with the Saudi ambassador to 'discuss US-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relations.'" [Newsweek, 5/26/08]

But Resigns Only After Media Reports "Lobbying Entanglements." "Former Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler, a Texan who is among the McCain campaign's most important advisers and fundraisers, has resigned as a national co-chair over lobbying entanglements, a Republican source told Politico on Sunday. It's at least the fifth lobbying-related departure from the campaign in a week. The McCain campaign, already facing the prospect of being badly outgunned in the general election, now also must cope with the disruption of the lobbying shakeout." [politico.com, 5/18/08]

Lobbying Firm Paid Campaign Worker in Apparent Violation of Federal Election Law. "Loeffler's firm started paying $15,000 a month last summer to one of its lobbyists, Susan Nelson, after she left to become McCain's full-time finance director, said a source familiar with the arrangement (who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive matters)..Federal election law prohibits any outside entity from subsidizing the income of campaign workers." [Newsweek, 5/26/08]