Bitter Smith lobbying Mitchell

Susan Bitter Smith, U.S. House candidate in AZ-5, has worked to set up meetings between telecommunications executives and three Democratic Arizona members of the U.S. House, while campaigning to replace one of them.

Bitter Smith, who is executive director of the lobbying organization Arizona-New Mexico Cable Communications Association, lobbied her would-be opponent and two other members of the Arizona delegation. She requested meetings between executives at Cox Cable and U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe), Ed Pastor (D-Phoenix) and Raul Grijalva (D-Tucson). Bitter Smith is running for the Republican nomination in the 5th District, and will face Mitchell in the general election if she gets the nod.

Mitchell's office confirmed the meeting, but said it was only between Mitchell staff and the Cox executives. Mitchell spokesman Robbie Sherwood described the meeting as "positive," but said no specific legislation was discussed. Sherwood wouldn't comment on whether Mitchell's campaign thought it was appropriate for Bitter Smith to be currying favor on behalf of her clients with the member of Congress she hopes to defeat.

Politico.com reported today that Bitter Smith, helped arrange sitdowns between some of her clients and Pastor and Grjialva in separate meetings.

From Politico.com:

"Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said she has never heard of a candidate actively lobbying 'who wasn’t a local elected official who was lobbying as part of their job,' she said. 'I think in this environment it would make for a pretty good ad by her opponent.'”

The Bitter Smith campaign said unequivocally that there was nothing wrong with arranging meetings with any representative. "She was acting on behalf of her clients," said Brian Hummell, Bitter Smith's campaign manager, to PolitickerAZ.com. Hummell stressed that she was not present at the meeting, and also questioned what was newsworthy about the story. "She's allowed to do her job," said Hummell.