Trump's pick for intel chief spent years as lobbyist

The Indiana Republican, 73, has made four spins through the capital's avenues of power and has become wealthy in the process.

Since the early 1980s, Coats either has served in government or earned money as a lobbyist and board director.

Rick Perry, Trump's choice as energy secretary, registered in Texas as a lobbyist for the country's largest private dental insurance company a little over a year after leaving office as the state's longtime governor.

When Trump talked on the campaign trail about "draining the swamp" of Washington — a catchphrase that remains popular at his rallies — he specifically denounced the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street, the hub of lobbying that attracts many ex-lawmakers.

Backed by Bush, Sprint and other major telecom companies mounted an aggressive campaign to grant them immunity for partnering with the National Security Agency in sweeping surveillance on Americans without warrants from the FISA court.

King & Spalding's disclosures show that Coats talked with Congress members and federal officials about the measure, which the firm said "would affect providers of communications services in connection with electronic surveillance."

While the disclosures say little about the aim of the lobbying effort, the phone companies worked with the Bush administration at the time to erect legal backing for their secret dealings with the NSA.