Despite Recession, Lobbyists Kick Off Holiday Parties

One day after the U.S. officially acknowledged it was in a recession, it was party time in Washington for lawmakers and their staff, courtesy of the nation's corporate lobbyists. For weeks, invitations and event lists have been circulating on Capitol Hill, carrying promises of open bars and free food. Though some organizations say they have cut back on events in the wake of the sharpest economic downturn since the Great Depression, many of 2008 's parties are shaping up to look a lot like the... Full Story