Potholes on K Street

Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud, and tax-evasion charges, which came about a month after former Rep. Randy Cunningham, R-Calif., pleaded guilty to taking bribes from a defense contractor who had lobbied him for business, resulting in a sinister image for a lobbyist. Lobbying is big business in Washington, and with key factors of lobbying being competition, time, complexity, gridlock and money, the vast K Street community of lobbyists are looked at with suspicion.