Did You Know?

Did you know that the term “lobbyist” was coined during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (between 1869 and 1877)?

According to Gary Ater, writing for the American Chronicle, President Grant's wife, Julia, would not allow the President to smoke his cigars while inside the White House. For this reason, the President could many times be found by those looking for some political favors when he was smoking his cigars while relaxing in the lobby of the nearby Willard Hotel. Ergo, those American "favor seekers" back then became known as "Washington D.C. Lobbyists." According to the Washington Post there are more than 35,000 lobbyists working in Washington, D.C. today and more than 40% of past members of Congress register as lobbyists.

from The Fair Tax Newsletter