Rubio Chief of Staff Still Receiving Cash From Former Lobbying Firm

Cesar Conda, Sen. Marco Rubio's chief of staff, received $50,000 to $100,000 from the lobbying firm he used to work for, according to an investigation by campaign finance website Republic Report.Though Conda left the firm before taking the job at the head of Rubio's office, Rubio spokesman Alex Conant told...

By Rich Abdill

June 5, 2012

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Cesar Conda, Sen. Marco Rubio's chief of staff, received $50,000 to $100,000 from the lobbying firm he used to work for, according to an investigation by campaign finance website Republic Report.

Though Conda left the firm before taking the job at the head of Rubio's office, Rubio spokesman Alex Conant told Republic Report that Conda "had a stock buy out of his ownership units when he left, which is being paid out over time... [it was ] cleared by Senate Ethics back in 2011."

Still, the overlap sheds more light on the revolving door between K Street and the Capitol -- Conda founded the firm Navigators Global after serving as an aide in the Bush administration. He also served as a "senior economic policy adviser" for Mitt Romney's 2008 campaign for president, according to Politico.

Conda previously served as legislative director for Sen. Spencer Abraham, who went on to become secretary of energy and is now -- you guessed it -- the CEO of a lobbying firm.

Now Conda's back in the Senate, bringing with him all those nice contacts for Rubio (and Rubio for all those nice contacts.) Check out Republic Report for more.

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