Politics | John McCain Pro-Democracy Group Links Lobbyists, McCain Nonprofit's workings clash with maverick image By Jonas Oransky Posted Jul 28, 2008 3:09 PM CDT Copied President Bush, left, is presented with the International Republican Institute's (IRI) Freedom Award by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, center, at the IRI Freedom Dinner. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File) The workings of a nonprofit democracy-promotion group John McCain has chaired for 15 years are “in many ways at odds with the political outsider image that has become a touchstone of the McCain campaign,” the New York Times reports. The International Republican Institute is a “something of a revolving door for lobbyists and out-of-power Republicans that offers big donors a way of helping both the party and the institute’s chairman." Hundreds of contractors, lobbyists, oil companies, and others have donated to the group during McCain's tenure. A campaigh spokesman says McCain "has never requested nor offered to take a position on legislation in exchange for, or because of, contributions to" the International Republican Institute, which has a $78 million annual budget. Read These Next Her blood isn't compatible with anyone else's. Some of the most explosive Diddy allegations are dropped. Fan who taunted Ketel Marte's mom has been banned by MLB. NJ lifeguard survives after being impaled by an umbrella. Report an error