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Biden's lobbying cash slammed

US Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden has come under fire for accepting huge campaign donations from lobbyists after entering the primaries pledging to reject such cash.

He opened his campaign in April promising “from day one” that he would not accept this kind of funding.

“I work for you — not any industry,” he said in a social media post.

Yet hours later, Mr Biden went to a fundraising event at the home of a lobbying executive. And research by the Associated Press (AP) news agency found that over the months since then, “he’s done it again and again.”

The former vice-president’s pledge applied to federally registered lobbyists. 

AP said it was difficult to quantify how much Mr Biden had raised from the multibillion-dollar influence industry. 

But the roughly $200,000 (£165,000) he accepted from employees of major lobbying firms is far more than any of his rivals has received, according to the AP review of campaign finance data.

Mr Biden’s campaign has accepted donations from individuals with criminal records and companies that will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows among Democratic Party supporters.

The money includes $6,000 (£4,900) in contributions from at least six federally registered lobbyists, including representatives of Google, Lockheed Martin and pharmaceutical companies, records show.

Former Florida representative Lawrence J Smith donated $1,000 (£825) to the campaign. He left Congress in disgrace in 1993 after bouncing 161 cheques. Months later, he was convicted of tax evasion and using campaign funds to pay off a gambling debt.

Maryland lobbyist Gerard E Evans gave Mr Biden $2,600 (£2,100). 

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2000 after being found guilty of participating in an elaborate fake legislation scheme that conned people out of more than $400,000 (£330,000) in lobbying fees.

Following the discovery, Mr Biden’s campaign said it was returning the thousands of dollars received from federally registered lobbyists.

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