Matt Salmon is a former congressman, state legislator, and state GOP chairman from Arizona. He currently serves as president of the Competitive Telecommunications Association (Comptel), a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents such telecom firms as Verizon, Cisco, Level 3 and Qwest.[1] Previously he worked as a lobbyist for Greenberg Traurig and for his own firm, Upstream Consulting. Recent clients included the American Jewish Congress, Grand Canyon University, El Paso Pipeline Group, and Armorworks.
He told the National Journal in 2004 that he is "very picky" about his lobbying clients, "because I plan to be involved in politics for the rest of my life, and I guard my reputation closely."[2] Nevertheless, during his failed 2002 run for governor of Arizona, it was discovered that he had not properly registered as a federal lobbyist. Salmon's explanation that his work was "consulting" and not lobbying was revealed as a lie when one of his "consulting" contracts with the city of Phoenix explicitly called for him to lobby.[3] Salmon lost the race to Janet Napolitano in the state's first election under the Clean Elections Act. The Citizens Clean Elections Commission later leveled a $3,472 fine on Salmon for failing to report some campaign expenses on time.[4] He later joined an unsuccessful lawsuit seeking to overturn the Clean Elections Act.[5]
For a complete look at Matt Salmon's lobbying activities, please visit the non-partisan Center For Responsive Politics' money-in-politics database.
[1] Mike Sunnucks, "Salmon Takes Communications Industry Post in Washington," Phoenix Business Journal, December 4, 2007.
[2] "From the K Street Corridor," The National Journal, October 23, 2004.
[3] Billy House and Tom Zoellner, "No Lobbying Penalty Likely for Salmon," The Arizona Republic, October 5, 2002.
[4] Howard Fischer, "Clean Elections Officer Sues Over '02 Dismissal," Arizona Daily Star, August 28, 2003.
[5] Paul Davenport, "Judge Won't Block Matching Funds for Candidates," The Associated Press, July 8, 2004.