Hoyer’s Exit Leaves K Street Without Top Democratic Ally on Hill

Rep. Steny Hoyer’s departure from Capitol Hill will leave the nation’s business community without a longtime Democratic ally who has a deep network of former aides and contacts in the lobbying sector.

The Maryland Democrat, who said Thursday he wouldn’t run for reelection after serving since 1981, led outreach from his party leadership to business groups at a time when Republicans were so aligned with the lobbying industry they had a name for it: the K Street Project. The project was an effort of House GOP leaders, especially ex-Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), to twist the arms of lobbying groups ...