Subscribe
RSS
Mobile
With public attention focused on the GOP primaries, the White House quietly promoted another self-dealing lobbyist to serve as President Obama's top domestic policy adviser. Promises? What broken promises?
Cecilia Munoz, the current director of intergovernmental affairs at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., will now serve as head of the Domestic Policy Council. She'll wield heightened influence at Obama's daily morning briefings and expand her reach from immigration issues to education, health care and beyond.
Gushing headlines heralded the advancement of Obama's top Hispanic civil rights "advocate" as a win for the "middle class." But Munoz is a veteran member of the Beltway lobbyist class whose former organization is reaping a taxpayer-funded windfall as she climbs the government ladder.
Before joining Team Obama, Munoz spent two decades as chief registered lobbyist for the National Council of La Raza ("The Race"). Whose "middle class" does The Race represent? I've tracked the radical identity politics-driven group for years as it promoted drivers' licenses and in-state college tuition breaks for illegal aliens; opposed cooperative immigration enforcement efforts between local, state and federal authorities; and opposed a secure fence along the southern border.
Under Munoz, The Race advised the Mexican government on how to lobby for illegal alien amnesty in the United States. Mexico's Institute for Mexicans Residing Abroad rewarded her with its Ohtli Prize for her service to the country. Their country, not ours.
The Race vehemently protested post-9/11 homeland security measures and joined a failed lawsuit to block immigration information-sharing between the feds and local police. The group also has called for TV and cable news networks to keep immigration enforcement proponents (including yours truly) off the airwaves, in addition to pushing for Fairness Doctrine policies to shut up their foes.
Most recently, The Race and other open-borders groups pressured the White House to deliver the DREAM Act illegal alien student bailout by executive fiat -- after it was defeated repeatedly by bipartisan majorities on Capitol Hill. Obama started issuing the amnesty waivers last August. This week, the White House announced an even wider expansion of waiver status to illegal aliens claiming "hardship."
Who has benefited from Munoz's Beltway lobbying? No, not the American middle class. The biggest beneficiary has been La Raza's coffers. According to analysts at nonpartisan Judicial Watch in Washington, The Race raked in $4.1 million in federal subsidies in 2009 and more than $11 million in 2010. Much of that money came straight from the Obama stimulus boondoggle, and much of it went to mortgage counseling.
As a result of "strategic partnerships" with Wachovia and Bank of America, The Race has succeeded in lowering mortgage application requirements and watering down documentation standards. Illegal aliens have secured countless federal and private home loans over the past decade thanks to the lending industry's version of "don't ask, don't tell."
In addition, Munoz's group collected a $1 million Democratic earmark that funded "community development" projects. And the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services kicked in $25,000 to co-sponsor the group's annual conference in 2010.
Munoz's multi-culti armor has shielded her radical lobbying from scrutiny. You'll recall that the Obama administration made a lofty vow to end lobbyist conflicts-of-interest as we know them. The declaration was crystal-clear: "No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration."
But something got lost in translation when the White House brought registered lobbyist Munoz aboard -- to work on the very open-borders agenda she pushed at The Race. Team Obama invoked a shady "public interest" exemption to waive the lobbyist ban because, it determined, "Ms. Munoz's knowledge and expertise are vital to the functioning of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs."
Has Munoz recused herself on any of the myriad public policy issues she has advised the president on over the past two years? Who knows? The most transparent administration ever refuses to disclose recusal orders involving the nearly 100 lobbyists and ex-lobbyists on its payroll. Obama's "Razist" revolving door isn't a victory for "civil rights" or the 99 percent. It's a triumph of politically correct business as usual.
---
Michelle Malkin is the author of "Culture of Corruption: Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks & Cronies" (Regnery 2010).
COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM
January 13, 2012 @ 10:01 am
We have got to find a better phrase for “politically correct.” I think “politically manipulating the law to funnel my tax dollars to barack hussein’s friends,” is a bit unwieldy. It is beyond sad that the hundreds of things this administration has done in secret are so little reported in the news. More frightening still is how much we are not even aware of. I believe we will be suffering the repercussions of this jackass for a very long time.
January 13, 2012 @ 10:07 am
Obama ignored the promises he made to the Hispanic community and now he’s buying they vote.
Unfortunatley he picked the illegal immigrant vote.
January 13, 2012 @ 3:09 pm
So what.
Do you think that illegals don’t vote? Just ask your friendly ACORN or SEIU chapter. How do you think Harry Reid won over Sharon Angle in the Nevada Senate race. Angle went into election day with a 6-7 point lead over Reid. Reid won by a ten point margin. Almost more people voted for Reed than there are people in the state of Nevada. Dead people and bussed in illegals are how it’s done.
It is how Antonio Villarigosa, the mayor of Los Angeles announced his reelection Victory, fifteen minutes after the polls closed.
January 13, 2012 @ 10:55 am
Another very informative article Michelle, thanks and keep at them.
January 13, 2012 @ 11:47 am
And next we will have Hezbollah ‘representation’ in Homeland Security. Oh, sorry, we already do.
January 13, 2012 @ 1:25 pm
I have been aware of La Raza for years and have a site to them that would scare anyone about their plans especially to take back the southern states of TX, NM, AZ, and California who happens to already be under their rules especially with allowing illegals free reign in their state. Personally I believe we should build a very tall secure wall with a moat around California with alligators in it and ship all the illegals there and let them be part of Mexico without any support from the United States of America and their taxpayers. Just think with this idea Pelosi and the rest of the liberal left could not be in Congress.
Now, let me see if this comment is moderated.
January 13, 2012 @ 3:17 pm
The groups you are tlking about, which are supported and financed by LaRaza, are the Mecha de Atzlan group, who call themselves Mechista’s or Recounquistas. Their goal is to repopulate and take over the southwest states, so that they may be returned to Mexico. They are a Communist organization and were, (before Obummer) on the FBI terrorist watch list.
Obummer consideres them to be heros and freedom fighters. Through his spendulus bill, he probably sent lots of funding to them.
January 27, 2012 @ 5:41 pm
Hey how about the illegal aliens from outer space!
January 13, 2012 @ 2:11 pm
“Before joining Team Obama, Munoz spent two decades as chief registered lobbyist for the National Council of La Raza.”
Why can’t people understand that the Obama administration is anti-American?
January 13, 2012 @ 9:02 pm
Obama must be removed because he is setting precedent for any future president, politicians really seem to agree that they have all the powers that Obama has made possible by his illegal tenure.
Obama and his gang in the US Government employ must be arrested, they’re all criminals breaking the law and usurping the office every minute of every day that passes.
Everything Obama has done must be over-turned because he is not even eligible for the position that he has usurped by multiple criminal acts. Hopefully he will be removed before more people die at his command.
Pingback: LaRaza Lobbist Appointed to Top Position In Obama Administration – Appeal to Hispanic Voters – Violates No-Lobbist Promise
Pingback: Immigration-Reform Advocate to Lead Domestic Policy Council
January 14, 2012 @ 6:34 am
Only courageous and true patriotic conservatives can make La Raza the size of a peanut or, better yet, make it outright insignificant and powerless. We had better do so quickly.This is a downright treasonous activity happening within the U.S. government,period.
January 14, 2012 @ 3:13 pm
Look at North Korea. They made someone the Commander In Chief of the Army who never served one day in the military with no experience.Then he was made the president with no business experience. Wait a minute. The USA did the same thing.
January 27, 2012 @ 5:40 pm
President Bush is gone, you can stop ragging on him now.
Pingback: La Raza’s chief lobbyist is now Obama’s new head of domestic policy. « Investment Watch Blog – 2012
January 13, 2012 @ 1:00 pm
Why is this still awaiting moderation?
IMPEACH OBAMA NOW! ! ! ! ! ! !