We're asked by our company to form relationships with elected officials, so that they know who Emerson is and so that we have some open doors and people to communicate with on key concerns.

We believe Ms. Frank's initial practice, collecting the amount stated in the statute at the time payment was tendered, was proper.

At Emerson we never use the term 'lobby,' ... We use the term 'educate.' Our management believes that if we can educate elected officials to the global challenges that American businesses face today ... that hopefully they will make better public policy decisions.

We want to have our time at bat, and we don't want to be blindsided by something that happens in Washington.

Then we will see what happens. He knows his legal position.

That's still the ultimate goal, to sail across the Atlantic in the Viking-style.

They had spent so much money on consultants trying to figure out the health care plan that (they said) ... 'Why don't we establish a small office in Washington to have someone with the Emerson brand on our forehead (and) to make sure we have relationships with our elected officials?'

There's a whole range of stories. Now and then we'll get some kid who's 14 dragged in by his mother. Occasionally it will be 'Bill' and then they're married to 'Bob,'.