You Influence Me; I'll Influence You

Yeah, yeah, it's certainly probable that anybody tagged to participate in a state Judicial Nominating Commission is likely to be well connected, politically, but there's just something about a professional lobbyist's making the cut that doesn't seem quite right:

State House lobbyist Richard M. McAuliffe Jr. is the newest member of the commission that helps appoint the state's judges. ...

Head of the Mayforth Group lobbying firm of Providence, McAuliffe is considered skilled at helping clients win money from the federal government. His clients include Johnson & Wales University, the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, Wachovia Global Securities Lending plus Smart Staffing, the employment firm at the center of a high-profile inquiry into state hiring practices.

Did somebody say something about a "ruling class"?