Lawsuit Reveals Frequent Union Visits to the White House

At almost 500 visits by labor leaders and lobbyists, there's chumminess to go around

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Lobbyists for the nation's largest labor unions have had the run of the White House during its occupancy by a president who pledged from his first day in office to curb political influence.

At the same time President Obama personally limited access to the wealthy and powerful, including labor leaders, union lobbyists made nearly 500 visits to the White House during the Obama administration. The records, according to a review of available White House visitors logs, run through June.