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Sarah, do you know what a lobbyist is by chance?

You know, you'd be surprised to know that I do.

It's like a representative of a private interest, and their job is to push government officials to pass laws, and they

use money to do it, they promise certain things. It's like an exchange so that whatever the

representing gets, you know, funded or legalized or whatever. I am actually surprised that you know

what a lobbyist is, and you knew so fast,

because it is one of those jobs that's, like, distinctly American.

Like, you and I never heard really about lobbyists that much growing up.

It's like, what's a comptroller?

What's a district attorney?

I don't really know what these words mean.

Yeah, I mean, I'm sure we have some form of lobbying in Canada, but it is one of those things that is a bit vague and I think kind of on purpose, you know.

Well, Sarah, here's the good news.

Today, you're going to learn so much about lobbying that you're going to wish that you could forget it. It's June 2001, and Michael Scanlan is sweating hard as he runs across a fancy

racquetball court in Washington, D.C. Michael is a fair-haired guy in his early 30s. He used to be

a press secretary for a member of Congress and currently has his own PR firm. So he normally wears suits and ties.

Today, he's in shorts and sneakers.

But he's still definitely working.

Michael's opponent is a super successful lobbyist named Jack Abramoff.

Jack is about a decade older than Michael.

He's broad-shouldered and bulky with hawk-like features.

...