Steven Kuykendall is a veteran of California politics, having served as city councilman and mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes (1991-1994), state assemblyman (1994-1998), and one-term congressman (1999-2001). Some say he owed his political career to special interest intervention. Last-minute mailers financed by a $125,000 contribution from the tobacco industry paved the way for his initial election to the California Assembly. The tobacco money came in on the Saturday before the election, but didn't have to be reported until after the vote.[1]
As an assemblyman, he helped write the state's controversial energy deregulation law,[2] but as a lobbyist has focused on defense issues - no surprise considering that the Los Angeles area he once represented is home to a large aerospace and defense industry. In fact, as a licensed real estate broker, he once served on the board of Lockheed Mortgage Corp., a subsidiary of defense contractor Lockheed Corp. As a former House member, he admitted to Congressional Quarterly that he has an advantage over other lobbyists. "It's a challenge, but that's what guys like me get paid to do," he said.[3]
Kuykendall has endorsed John McCain as the "the only Presidential candidate who has publicly fought wasteful government spending and legislative earmarks even among his own political party..."[4] Nevertheless, as a congressman he fought hard for earmarks for his own district, including $3.5 million to dredge the channel into Marina del Rey harbor.[5] Recent clients at his firm, Steven T. Kuykendall & Associates, include defense contractors Techfinity, Seacoast Science, Rockwell Scientific and Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company.[6] As a bundler, he has raised at least $100,000 for McCain's presidential campaign, according to information released by the campaign.[7]
For a complete look at Steven Kuykendall's lobbying activities, please visit the non-partisan Center For Responsive Politics' money-in-politics database.