Legislators often become lobbyists

Even if they regularly complained about Washington, D.C., while in office and expressed how much they missed being back home, former members of Congress who represented voters in Eastern Washington and North Idaho were likely to take jobs as lobbyists once they left office.

Along with George Nethercutt, former Congress members from the region who work as lobbyists include the man he beat in 1994, former House Speaker Tom Foley, and former senators from both states.

Here’s a list of federal legislators turned lobbyists, and some of the clients they or their firms have represented:

•Tom Foley (D-Wash.), U.S. House, 1965-94; ambassador to Japan, 1997-2001; partner at Akin Gump Strauss, representing: Abbott Laboratories, American Hospital Association, AT&T, Goodrich Corp.

•Slade Gorton (R-Wash.), U.S. Senate, 1981-86, 1989-2000; lobbyist, Preston Gates Ellis: BNSF Railway, Microsoft, Safeco, Starbucks, Washington State University, Weyerhaeuser.

•Larry LaRocco (D-Idaho), U.S. House, 1991-94; former president, Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations: Itronix, National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Oregon Department of Transportation.

•Jim McClure (R-Idaho), U.S. House, 1967-73; U.S. Senate, 1973-90; partner, MGN Inc.: Asarco Inc., Coeur d’Alene Mines, Hecla Mining, National Mining Association.

•George Nethercutt (R-Wash.), U.S. House, 1995-2004; partner, Lundquist Nethercutt & Griles: Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Newmont Mining, Isothermal Systems Research, Tessera Technologies.

•Steve Symms (R-Idaho), U.S. House, 1973-1980; U.S. Senate, 1981-92; partner, Parry Romani DeConcini & Symms: General Motors, General Nutrition Center, Prudential Securities, Spokane Tribe.

Source: U.S. Senate lobbyist reports, Center for Responsive Politics