In the parlance of Washington they call it K Street, almost as if it were a separate branch of government. Sixteen big lobbying firms have more lobbyists than the Senate's 100 members; this white-collar industry takes in more than $2 billion a year. But now, K Street is at the center of a scandal that some Washington observers feel could be to the lobbying business what Watergate was to campaign finance and Enron was to corporate oversight.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206Q.shtml