Anyone gets face time with a politician to discuss their special interest is a de-facto lobbyist. Sure, "lobbying" can get scummy if you push the graft envelop

Anyone gets face time with a politician to discuss their special interest is a de-facto lobbyist. Sure, "lobbying" can get scummy if you push the graft envelope but for the most part "lobbyists" are just people from special interest groups who have made a career out of arguing their case to the politicians.