--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a lobbyist, I thought it only natural…" description: "\"As a lobbyist, I thought it only natural and right that my clients should reward those members who saved them such substantial sums with generous contr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/jack-abramoff-10031_clients_as-a-lobbyist-i-thought-it-only-natural_1189027.jpg" --- # As a lobbyist, I thought it only natural and right that my… ![“As a lobbyist, I thought it only natural and right that my clients should reward those members who saved them such substantial sums with generous contributions. This quid pro quo became one of hallmarks of our lobbying efforts.” quote by Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/jack-abramoff-10031_clients_as-a-lobbyist-i-thought-it-only-natural_1189027.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/jack-abramoff-10031_clients_as-a-lobbyist-i-thought-it-only-natural_1189027.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/jack-abramoff-10031_clients_as-a-lobbyist-i-thought-it-only-natural_1189027.jpg) > “As a lobbyist, I thought it only natural and right that my clients should reward those members who saved them such substantial sums with generous contributions. This quid pro quo became one of hallmarks of our lobbying efforts.” [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rationalized rewarding officials who helped his clients with money, normalizing corrupt exchange. **In simple terms:** He saw bribery as a normal business practice. Key Takeaway Recognize and reject corrupt incentives. Themes corruption ethics lobbying power dynamics Mood cynical critical Type ethical political When to use this quote - government contracting - campaign fundraising - policy advocacy Key Concepts political finance client relationships legal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate legitimate advocacy from corruption? - What safeguards can prevent quid pro quo? A Different Perspective Such practices erode public trust and can lead to legal consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Lobbyist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lobbyist/) [Lobbyists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lobbyists/) [Quid pro quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quid-pro-quo/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) ## Related quotes > [“The Democratic Party would like to be re-elected so that they can continue to uphold almost no Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) whistle-blower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-democratic-party-would-like-to-be-re-elected-so-that-they-can/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [In reality, everybody in Congress is a stand-in for some kind of lobbyist. In many cases it's difficult to tell whether it's the companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/in-reality-everybody-in-congress-is-a-stand-in-for-some-kind-of/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [I'm a lobbyist and had a career lobbying. The guy who gets elected or the lady who gets elected president of the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-barbour/i-m-a-lobbyist-and-had-a-career-lobbying-the-guy-who-gets-elected-or/) [Haley Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-barbour/) > [As a lobbyist, I was completely against term limits, and I know a lot of people are against term limits, and I was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/as-a-lobbyist-i-was-completely-against-term-limits-and-i-know-a-lot/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [I got into lobbying kind of against my will at first. 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So they'll pick the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/a-senator-will-come-off-capitol-hill-and-they-ll-be-barred-from-two/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [The lure of post-public service lobbying employment needs to be eliminated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/the-lure-of-post-public-service-lobbying-employment-needs-to-be/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [I did this within a philosophical framework, and a moral and legal framework. And I have been turned into a cartoon of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-did-this-within-a-philosophical-framework-and-a-moral-and-legal/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [Lobbying is not a bad thing. 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We want bills that protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/until-we-actually-get-legislation-that-protects-our-rights-online-we/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [ I don't take a dime of their \[lobbyist\] money, and when I am president, they won't find a job in my White House. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-take-a-dime-of-their-lobbyist-money-and-when-i-am-president/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) ## More by Jack Abramoff > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [Lobbying is not a bad thing. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't have lobbyists or we shouldn't have lobbying to petition our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/lobbying-is-not-a-bad-thing-i-m-not-trying-to-say-that-we-shouldn-t/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [I'm a human being. 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The more the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/the-reason-there-are-tens-of-thousands-of-lobbyists-is-because-the/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) [Explore all 68 Jack Abramoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) ## More Clients quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. 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