John Boehner, the retired speaker of the House, is monetizing his decades of political relationships and cashing out to serve some of the most powerful special interests in the world.
Boehner is joining Squire Patton Boggs, a lobbying firm that peddles its considerable influence on behalf of a number of foreign nations, including most notably the People’s Republic of China. Serving Beijing is somewhat appropriate: Boehner has long been a supporter of unfettered trade, helping to lead the effort to grant Most Favored Nation status to China. Squire Patton Boggs also represents a long list of corporate clients, including AT&T, Amazon.com, Goldman Sachs & Co., Royal Dutch Shell, and the Managed Funds Association, a trade group for the largest hedge funds in the country.
Boehner is signing onto Squire Patton Boggs “as a strategic advisor to clients in the U.S. and abroad, and will focus on global business development.”
The news comes just a week after the announcement that Boehner will be joining the board of Reynolds American, the tobacco company responsible for brands such as Camel and Newport cigarettes. The tobacco board seat will likely earn Boehner over $400,000 a year in stock and cash. The Squire Patton Boggs salary has not been disclosed, but lawmakers of Boehner’s stature have easily obtained salaries at similar gigs in the seven-figure range.
Boehner is reportedly declining to register as a lobbyist for his new job at a lobbying firm, but that label makes little difference these days. Thousands of professionals engaged in government affairs positions work to influence policy on behalf of well-heeled special interests every day without registering under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The law governing lobby registration is virtually unenforced.
In Congress, Boehner was known for his strong alliances with the lobbying community. In 1995, Boehner was caught distributing campaign checks from the tobacco industry on the House floor to members to influence a vote on tobacco legislation. In 2006, the Washington Post revealed that Boehner lived in an apartment on Capitol Hill rented to him by a lobbyist who did business with his committee. As Republican leader, he was known for scheduling votes around fundraising events, including one incident in which Boehner interrupted House proceedings so he could attend a lobbyist-fueled bash called the “Boehner Beach Party.”
Boehner’s closeness with the lobbying industry was a big part of how he moved up the leadership ladder within the GOP. For years, he convened a “Thursday Group” to huddle with representatives of the largest corporations in America to discuss strategy and to fundraise for his party.
Boehner’s retirement from the House was met by speculation in the political press that he was done with politics and more interested in sipping wine and mowing the lawn. But in reality, he’ll still be a major political player, finally getting the role he’s auditioned for over the course of three decades in elected office.
Top photo: Former Speaker of the House John Boehner listens during a news conference on Dec. 3, 2013, in Washington, D.C.
Always has been disgusting traitor that has no shame. He’s as bad as Hillary.
Come on Speaker Boehner, you have a 6 figure civil service retirement. You do not need to work for the evil Chinese. They are suppressing all religions and destroying crosses on churches. china has recently started suppressing an ancient Jewish culture of 1000 people in Kaifeng, China. Remember the Tibetans, they have endured untold attrocities since the invasion in 1950.
I would have thought liver disease would have taken him out by now…too bad.
As a single red tear ran down his face..
The revolving door between governing and access to said government in the form of book deals, speaking fees, honoraria, cattle futures, highway access land deals, cushy board seats, etc… no appearance of a conflict there…
This payout business has got to be curtailed.
Eric Holder, who could have and should have prosecuted Wall St. now earns millions working for Wall St.
Quid pro quo.
So he’s following in Hillary’s footsteps? Will he operate as secretly as she does?
Past experience indicates that after shafting us, Boehner will be ejaculating tears all the way to the bank.
Another sleazy sell out politician.
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I guess Emojis don’t work on here. I think he’ll also be voting for Hilliary, if his fatty liver permits.
Another ex-politician proving what he thinks of our country…..belief in the almighty dollar not the people
Will be interesting to see how the spin flows from Boehner to China regarding TTP. Which reminds me, didn’t Clinton’s Foundation take a lot of $$ in bribe, er, contributions from Chinese Nationals, too?
Well, the main foreign supporters of the Clinton Foundation are Gulf Arab dictatorships and Israeli-linked billionaires; there is the Rilin case, though:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinese-company-pledged-2-million-to-clinton-foundation-in-2013/
However, a great many Clinton Foundation donors are multinational ‘American’ corporations (who increasingly view themselves as ‘stateless entities’ ) and who rely on Chinese sweatshop labor for manufacturing goods.
“…….However, a great many Clinton Foundation donors are multinational ‘American’ corporations (who increasingly view themselves as ‘stateless entities’ ) and who rely on Chinese sweatshop labor for manufacturing goods……”
You mean as opposed to starving to death?
” But in reality, he’ll still be a major political player, finally getting the role he’s auditioned for over the course of three decades in elected office.” Precisely. It was Boehner who pushed the republicans into selling themselves to business, and in so doing changing themselves from sluts to whores. You see, the gop have always been enthralled by business – wasn’t it one of them who said “the business of Amurica is business”? But it was John who saw Bill Clinton raking in the corporate cash and deciding that his folks needed to be doing that too. And of course corporate Amurica is only so happy to play along. What, after all is a billion or so per election cycle when there are hundreds of billions to be made?
“Boehner was caught distributing campaign checks from the tobacco industry on the House floor to members to influence a vote on tobacco legislation.”
Now he will make a fortune working for a major tobacco industry lobby, and let’s make it even worse in that the lobby also represents a foreign power, which hardly exists to act in the interest of the US citizenry.
The Clinton Foundation is approaching a trillion dollars in value, and the only source to tell us that they are legit is the same source that acted criminally in their reporting regarding the mortgage scandal, which brought down the world economy.
This type of behavior is not illegal only because criminals in the likes of Boehner write their amoral laws.
How much more do they think we will take? How much more are we going to take?
Didn’t our parents teach us to have the courage to stand up to bullies? Didn’t we teach our children to have the courage to stand up to bullies?
Look at Boehner. Is he really anyone you would have been afraid of in a schoolyard?
These politicians are despicable sycophants of the lowest realm of greed and power obsessed creatures. They make you want to be sure there is a God in order that we can be sure such creatures will be subject to an earned eternity of suffering.
Tobacco kills about 400,000 Americans per year. Boehner’s getting $400,000. So that’s $1/death/year – is it like a commission schedule or something?
Of course, there are far more tobacco deaths around the world than just in the US, and the difference will be accelerating because Asia’s increasing wealth and trade has led to far more of them smoking, and Americans are smoking less than they used to, and cancer and other tobacco-related diseases take a while to kill you.
Selling US tobacco products abroad is completely consistent with our national policy of being merchants of death. Weapons and wars R US.
Well, well. Turns out John was the biggest neoliberal of all. Now he sings MONEY MONEY MONEY money along with the Clintons. So this is the way to get rich. First get elected president and then collect the booty or if that doesn’t work get hired by a lobbing firm but that is 20th C but it still works. This the way to get rich – PUBLIC SERVICE. Forget Wall Street. This is better.
and the perks! omfg! immunity!
What, ISIS wasn’t paying enough? OK, that was below the belt, but seriously, representing china at a time like this? Sounds like the lawyers in the US need to rename the ABA to OWBA.
True story:
My father once bragged about how he out-fished John Boehner on a charter trip both had been invited to attend on Lake Erie.
I stopped the story in its tracks by asking if Boehner cried.
Mr. Fang
According to Wikipedia:
“…………..the activity of lobbying has been interpreted by court rulings as free speech and protected by the US Constitution…….”
I can’t blame Boehner for taking advantage of his work in Congress to join a lobbying firm. How much money he earns is his business.
“……. Serving Beijing is somewhat appropriate: Boehner has long been a supporter of unfettered trade, helping to lead the effort to grant Most Favored Nation status to China……”
We know that the Intercept doesn’t care about an authoritarian regime running China. When was the last time the Intercept ran an article on the democracy movement in Hong Kong? So this is just more racist fear-mongering that the Chinese are taking our jobs.
Jobs? No, craigsummers, the Chinese took our technology, or rather, had it handed to them on a silver platter by Wall Street so they could jack up profits by moving manufacturing lines to low-wage countries – and are improving on it, setting China up to be the global technology leader in a wide range of fields. Wall Street killed the goose that laid the golden eggs with stupid free trade deals, that’s what happened there. Boehner, well, he’s an expert at getting a piece of the pie, and China is the highest bidder for his services; a better deal than the Saudis or Israelis, right?
The Washington establishment that you love so much is now in panic mode, trying to use military assets to exert control over Asian zone – a ludicrously expensive effort, reminiscent of the British Empire’s failed 1954 effort to control the Suez Canal, which preceded that Empire’s demise. Ash Carter and Barak Obama with the TPP and their “strategic-military pivot to the East” – imperial clown show.
And no, China and Russia are not expansionist military threats, despite all the hype you see in the U.S. media, that’s just not the case – that’s just another rationalization effort aimed at keeping the bloated $500 billion plust military spending budget from being redirected to things like domestic infrastructure modernization, etc. The Kremlin Old Guard trying to hold onto power, building castles made of sand as the tide runs in around them.
Just as the British Empire collapsed, just as the Soviet Empire collapsed, the American Empire is also collapsing; not a very bright prospect for the Israelis or Saudis; Israel will either have to come to terms with Palestinian rights or become increasingly isolated (with their nuclear arsenal, they’ll be fine, if very poor); the Saudi monarchy will probably end up in Europe with as much loot as they can pocket; and the ‘superpower’ era will vanish into history (which is what should have happened in the 1990s, really). All the king’s horses, all the king’s men, couldn’t put it back together again.
Bye bye Empire, Empire bye bye.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OsZTJ5vfUs
“…….Jobs? No, craigsummers, the Chinese took our technology, or rather, had it handed to them on a silver platter by Wall Street so they could jack up profits by moving manufacturing lines to low-wage countries – and are improving on it, setting China up to be the global technology leader in a wide range of fields. Wall Street killed the goose that laid the golden eggs with stupid free trade deals, that’s what happened there……”
As I said in my post above – fear mongering (a fairly classic case).
“…….And no, China and Russia are not expansionist military threats, despite all the hype you see in the U.S. media, that’s just not the case……”
Did the US just annex part of a country? Putin said:
“…..‘The breakup of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century.’…..”
So yes, Russia is an expansionist military threat as they are proving in Ukraine.
“…….Just as the British Empire collapsed, just as the Soviet Empire collapsed, the American Empire is also collapsing…..”
It seems like Russia is the country having a hard time accepting the collapse of the red empire propping up one of the most brutal dictators on the planet and asserting their power in Ukraine by militarily supporting a civil conflict. And my God Photo, the bitter Putin just targeted and bombed an aid convoy in Syria. Jesus.
Mystic craigsummers,
Really? When i say it sounds to me like perhaps an alien ship dropped you off on our planet because they had enough of you, i am not being literal. But hey, what difference does it make?
hey craig take a look at some of the crap laying around your house. Does a lot of it say, “MADE IN CHINA”? I guess if the supreme court says slavery is ok, then slavery must be ok.
“……..hey craig take a look at some of the crap laying around your house. Does a lot of it say, “MADE IN CHINA”?……”
Of course. That is just awful that the Chinese peasants should work instead of starve. Now if they can just obtain political freedom……..
I loved the article, and the last line, getting the job he’s auditioned for……
how revealing of the politics of our era
It will be interesting to see if John Boehner becomes more NORML now that he is sitting on the board of a company that has excess production capacity for tobacco products which could be easily converted into being a dominant processor and distributor in the burgeoning medical and recreational marijuana industries.
smoking has been linked to lung cancer and emphysema
It is quite ironic that just a couple of days ago I thought about this Boob and was wondering where he wound up.
But he still wears an American flag pin in his lapel EVERY DAY, right? So he’s not a total monster, come on.
John is to be congratulated; all those years of experience will continue to reap personal benefit.
A side note: personally I prefer LM lights ( the overseas version ); smoother smoke
I guess Boehner knows something we don’t about the projected winner of the next election.
He also knows how the America Invents Act works to promote theft of US intellectual property.
I call the America Invents Act the Loot America Act.
The elite plutocrati continue to sell-out The People to the highest bidder.
See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her — but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.
Though in this case our choice cigarettes are tainted with carcinogens, that doesn’t detract from the case.
We’re all going to get what’s coming to us. Let’s hope Boehner keeps smoking.
It was only a matter of time before this was going to happen. I’m glad you are paying attention Lee.
I feel sorry for Boehner. What he is going to make is chump change in compassion to Secretary Clinton. For instance, the Clinton Foundation received $2,600,000 from a Canadian uranium mining mogul Ian Telfer, just so she could approve sweetheart deals for Uranium in Russia. Even house speaker Tom Daschle cashed in to the tune of between $15.1 million and $42.3 million once he left office for lobbying – The Daschle Group!
The revolving door in politics is deplorable, and so is this article, as it desperately focuses on small-time bottom feeders who are unfortunate enough to have an ‘R’ next to their name. It is very ironic the Intercept went from championing Snowden to spewing misleading, slanted articles designed to help the party of the president that chased him all the way to Russia.
Is this comment ironic? Or maybe computer generated?
Lee writes an article on the former House Speaker going through the revolving door of politics into lobbying and you start denigrating him for being biased towards republicans?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
You must be a new reader of TI as I’ve seen plenty of articles from Lee bashing democrats for the same actions.
Keep writing, Lee!
I’m not denigrating Lee. He would make a great blogger for the DailyKos. I am denigrating the Intercept.
So that’s two websites you obviously know nothing about then.
Oh, come on, what do you expect? Liberal billionaires will finance liberal causes, conservative billionaires will finance billionaire causes, but neither has the nerve to call BS on American Empire projects. Here’s a good Koch Brothers vs. George Soros funding analysis for both sides to chew on:
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/09/opensecrets-battle-koch-brothers/
Capital Rivals: Koch Brothers vs. George Soros
by Spencer MacColl on September 21, 2010
Some highlights:
Overall conclusion, this is an oligarchic plutocratic system in which billionaires disperse millions behind the scenes to influence public opinion and control political outcomes. As such, it is very similar to the “Russian oligarch” era during the late 1990s in Russia.
http://www.thomaswhite.com/global-perspectives/oligarchs-the-first-russian-capitalists/
Clearly, gross corruption is just as prevalent among Democrats as among Republicans, and it works the same way – pander to the billionaire oligarchs, and get payoffs in return – Obama and Buffett, or Boehner and the Kochs, it’s the same game. The differences are about social veneer issues, fluff – the fundamental structural problems in the United States, which are related to the Failing Empire problem, are not going to be addressed by the billionaires or their puppet politicians.
The pro-Democrat side are pretty ludicrous, however – after working overtime to defeat Sanders because Hillary was their loyal servant, they are now faced with a growing likelihood of a Trump victory; Sanders would have been double digits ahead of Trump by now, and not losing ground, that’s certain.
suddenly i get an idea where that $4 trillion unaccounted for dollars from the fed went to.
It is very ironic the Intercept went from championing Snowden to spewing misleading, slanted articles designed to help the party of the president that chased him all the way to Russia.
Oh, yeah, fer sure. Recent TI headlines:
Hillary Clinton: Boycotting North Carolina Is Noble and Just; Boycotting Israel Is Bigoted and Hateful
Colin Powell Urged Hillary Clinton’s Team Not to Scapegoat Him for Her Private Server, Leaked Emails Reveal
The Unrelenting Pundit-Led Effort to Delegitimize All Negative Reporting About Hillary Clinton
Why Did the Saudi Regime and Other Gulf Tyrannies Donate Millions to the Clinton Foundation?
What’s Behind Barack Obama’s Ongoing Accommodation of Vladimir Putin?
All designed to help the Dems. Fer sure.
The $2.6 million Clinton Foundation money did not, as far as I know, make its way into Sec’y Clinton’s pocket as Speaker Boehner’s new advising (not lobbying) position and board seat will.
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle was never House Speaker.
Small-time bottom feeder – the former Republican Speaker of the House? You are part of the problem. You don’t appear to like anybody or anything, including this publication.
As the former leader of the R party (of old), an unapologetic smoker, and no doubt a friend of the corporatocracy, where Mr Boehner lands is interesting and not in the least surprising.
The revolving door in politics is deplorable
Yes, and that makes Hellary Clinton a genuine deplorable.
around around around she goes and where she stops nobody knows.
but lloyd blankfein knows.