When is a lobbyist a lobbyist? Rick squirms answering some questions in front of the camera as Team4's Jim Parsons (Full transcript ) asked Santorum
March 10, 2006

When is a lobbyist a lobbyist? Rick squirms answering some questions in front of the camera as Team4's Jim Parsons (Full transcript ) asked Santorum about connections with Rob Bickhart and his charity "Operation Good Neighbor."
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WTAE News 4 Pittsburg: "And Operation Good Neighbor's executive director is Rob Bickhart, who gets paid a salary by the charity and rent because Operation Good Neighbor is located in the suburban Philadelphia offices of Bickhart's company, Capitol Resource Group. Santorum's re-election campaign and his PAC are also located there and they pay rent, too. And they pay management fees to Capitol resource.

Parsons: "Why are you paying a lobbyist, Rob Bickhart, to run that charity of yours?"

Santorum: "Well, first of all, he's not a lobbyist, No. 1."

Parsons: "Well, he's a principal in a lobbying firm."

Santorum: "No, he's a principal in a public affairs firm, a government relations firm. And he does a whole bunch of other things."

But Capitol Resource Group's Web site clearly lists lobbying as a service it provides to clients.

Parsons: "Sen. Specter said last month that he was lobbied by Rob."

Santorum: "That's fine. Look, the bottom line is, I have a charity … My name is associated as the founder."

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