<b>Lobbyist Extortion</b><br>
According to <a href="http://nbc4i.com/2015/10/15/redflex-lobbyist-expected-to-plead-guilty-t…
article yesterday on Columbus, Ohio's NBC 4 website</a>, a
lobbyist for a red-light camera company pleaded guilty to charges
that he solicited campaign contributions for elected city officials
from his client by creating the impression that the money was needed
to bribe the city officials. The lobbyist had helped the company win
the city contract in 2005 and had assisted the company with contract
renewals. Federal court documents say that he collected tens of
thousands of dollars from his client and then made contributions in
his own name to the local and state party committees. The funds were
then transferred to the campaigns of city officials.<br>
<p><b>"Expenditure Lobbyists" and Ballot Questions</b><br>
According to <a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/the-public-has-a-right-to-know/">an
article in today's San Francisco <i>Examiner</i></a><i>,</i> a
2010 decision by San Francisco's legislative body to no longer
require "expenditure lobbyists" to disclose their lobbying
activities is to go before the public for a vote. Expenditure
lobbyists, also known as "grassroot lobbyists," foster (and often
pay for) the communication of others with government officials, through various forms of
promotion, including petition drives, phone calls, mailers,
websites, and "Astroturf" organizations that they set up. The
issue was put on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the city's
ethics commission, which has been given the power to do this
without approval by the legislative body. This is a power that
should be sought by all ECs in jurisdictions that allow ballot
questions.<br>
</p>
<p><b>Billing for Lobbying</b><br>
According to <a href="http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/politico-influence/2015/10/contractor…
article this week on the Politico website</a>, a Pentagon
inspector general's report showed that 6 of 24 defense contractors
audited between 2010-2012 billed their lobbying costs to the
government. How many jurisdictions expressly prohibit this? (The
Pentagon does, but it isn't clear from the report that the
investigation was taken any further.)<br>
<br />
Robert Wechsler<br />
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br />
</p>