I don't know about anyone else, but I am pretty sick of hearing the word "lobbyist."

The Town Council voted Wednesday to hire a federal lobbyist to advocate for transportation, public safety and other money to help the growing town.

As Americans watch Congress debate issues of policy year after year, one thing is always clear: Lobbyists and special interests hold too much control over the legislative process in Washington and are instrumental in the construction of bad policy.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama challenged the nation's vested interests to a legislative duel Saturday, saying he will fight to change health care, energy and education in dramatic ways that will upset the status quo.

Business lobbyists are working to kill legislation that would allow private citizens to bring lawsuits against those who try to falsely collect money from state and local governments.

A lobbying organization thinks the Arizona Department of Transportation is heading down the wrong road.

The Gilbert Town Council on Tuesday unanimously approved its annual contract with a Phoenix lobbyist to advocate on behalf of the town at the Legislature and other public policy venues.

Two lobbying groups, chosen by Louisiana to collect emergency requests from hospitals and nursing homes during Hurricane Katrina, found themselves instead scrambling to arrange private rescues when government teams became preoccupied with plucking citizens off rooftops. The inability to quickly direct National Guard and other government rescue teams to health care facilities had deadly consequences.

Special interests have been a big topic of discussion among candidates in Phoenix's mayoral race. But after a question last week at the mayoral debate sponsored by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, many candidates are calling for a mayor's office free of lobbyists.

WASHINGTON  — A strong force, perhaps as powerful in Congress as President Barack Obama, is keeping the drive for health care going even as lawmakers seem hopelessly at odds.

Lobbyists caught lying could soon be looking for a new line of work — and maybe even find themselves behind bars.

Getting There: For people accused of employing Big Brother tactics to siphon money from drivers yet failing to make the highways safer, I found the folks from Redflex to be quite pleasant.

An effort to enact Arizona’s first-ever regulation of reverse mortgages has stalled amid industry opposition.

A committee of business owners and their lobbyists recommended significant changes Wednesday in the state’s new employer sanctions law despite the possibility it could backfire politically.

LOS ANGELES - Jack Valenti, the former White House aide and film industry lobbyist who instituted the modern movie ratings system and guided Hollywood from the censorship era to the digital age, died Thursday. He was 85.

Despite concerns over infighting, Scottsdale school leaders approved spending $10,000 this year for a lobbyist that will work for it and a halfdozen other school districts. The Scottsdale Unified School District governing board voted unanimously last week to contribute the money to hire Public Policy Partners.

A retired Mesa resident and sometimes political activist wants to put at least some lobbyists out of business.

A retired Mesa resident and sometimes political activist wants to put at least some lobbyists out of business.

An East Valley state senator is blaming a Christian family values lobbying group for killing legislation designed to strengthen laws that require schools to crack down on bullying.

An East Valley state senator is blaming a Christian family values lobbying group for killing legislation designed to strengthen laws that require schools to crack down on bullying.

Sen. John McCain’s ties with Washington lobbyists are not among the most serious challenges for his presidential campaign — not with widespread worries about the shape of the U.S. economy and public opinion still shifting away from his steadfast support for military commitments in Iraq.