Lobbyists, legislators and concerts
Lobbyists usually give gifts to legislators in the form of meals so they can discuss with them bills they’d like to see passed or defeated.
Members of the state Ethics Commission, which among other things regulate the conduct of elected officials, say they don’t want to pass rules that would interfere with giving lobbyists access to lawmakers.
But they’ve expressed concern the past couple years over expensive dinners costing $100 or more and tickets to concerts and sporting events, usually football game. That gives lobbyists an advantage over constituents, who have to take time off from their jobs and drive to the state Capitol at their own expense and may not have enough money to take their legislator out even to a fast-food place they say.
And how much talking about issues can be done during high-priced concerts and football games, Ethics Commission members wondered. So they proposed, and legislators did not kill, a new rule that took effect July 1 that reduces from $300 to $100 the amount spent on gifts for legislators and elected officials by a “lobbyist principal” during a calendar year. Lobbyist principals are companies or associations that hire lobbyists and provide the money to buy meals and other gifts for legislators.
Lobbyists who have spent more than $100 on things of value to an elected official so far this year can’t spend any more on that official for the rest of the year.
During the first six months of this year, lobbyist reports show several legislators were treated to concerts by lobbyists. They were given a pair of tickets ranging from $127 to $160.
See if you can match the legislator with the concert tickets he received. Answers at the bottom.
1. Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs. A. Black Crowes
2. Sen. Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo B. Huey Lewis and the News
3. Sen. Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City C. Kenny Chesney
4. Rep. Trebor Worthen, R-Oklahoma City D. Tom Jones
Answers: 1-B; 2-A; 3-D; 4-C
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
Reports reflect Cargill’s diminished role
Lance Cargill, no longer in the speaker’s chair this year, received a small percentage of meals and other things of value from lobbyists during the first six months of 2008 compared with the same time period last year, reports show.
During the first six months of 2007 – the only year that Cargill served as House speaker – Cargill received received $2,063 in things of value from lobbyists. The legislative session runs from the first week of February through the last week of May.
This year, Cargill, who stepped down a week before the start of this year’s session because of personal tax problems, received $91 in gifts, according to lobbyist reports.
Though he kept his legislative seat, Cargill didn’t serve on any House committee and appeared mostly in the House chamber simply to cast a vote.
It was quite a change from a year ago when Cargill, R-Harrah, had lobbyists line up in an office building outside the state Capitol complex to meet with him over suggested contributions to his and other political action committees.
Lobbyists in the first six months of this year reported spending much less on House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, than on Cargill a year ago. Lobbyists reported giving Benge, qho took over the House leadership duties on the first day of the session, $377 in gifts – or about 18 percent of what Cargill received a year ago.
Reports filed with the state Ethics Commission show lobbyists gave nearly three times more in gifts to Senate co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee than Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater. Reports show Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, received $1,478 in gifts and Morgan received $536.
A new rule that took effect Juy1 reduces from $300 to $100 the amount spent on gifts for legislators and elected officials by a “lobbyist principal” during a calendar year. Lobbyist principals are companies or associations that hire lobbyists and provide the money to buy meals and other gifts for legislators.
Lobbyists who have spent more than $100 on things of value to an elected official so far this year can’t spend any more on that official for the rest of the year.
The total spent on legislators by lobbyists is difficult to know for certain. Lobbyists don’t face a fine for not filing their reports by the Ethics Commission’s deadline, which for the first six months of this year was July 21. And for this reporting period lobbyists only had to disclose gifts after spending more than $50 on a state official or aide; from now on lobbyist are to disclose gifts after spending more than $10 on a state official or aide during a six-month period.
About 38 of the approximately 380 lobbyists had not filed their reports as of midnight Wednesday.
Most of the gifts were meals, ranging from less than $10 to dinners costing nearly $170. Lobbyists also gave legislators tickets to sporting events and concerts and took a couple lawmakers skeet shooting and out on the links for a game of golf.
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
Remembering two fallen Oklahomans
Steven Farley and Terry Hyman – two men, both in their mid-50s, who died doing what they wanted to do – will be buried tomorrow.
Farley, 57, a U.S. State Department worker from Guthrie, was killed last week by a bomb in Iraq. A Navy reservist, he was helping to build a city government in Sadr City when he and nine others were kiled in the attack.
Hyman, 56, a state legislator, was killed Friday in a farming accident on his farm near Leon.
Both were involved in risky, but different tasks, and enjoyed what they did.
Farley brought a delegation from Iraq earlier this year to the state Capitol to talk to House members about efforts to rebuild Baghdad’s infrastructure and provide basic services. He signed up for the State Department post because he believed he could help restore order despite the danger. He didn’t talk much about the risk he faced; the next day his son called asking that the name of the Iraqi official who spoke to legislators be deleted in a story we posted on The Oklahoman’s Web site because of fears insurgents would target the official when he returned. As it turned out, last week’s attack is believed to be targeted to kill city officails and adisers, such as Farley, to thwart efforts to improve services.
Hyman, a Democrat seeking a third two-year term, didn’t get involved in political maneurverings at the Capitol. He was more intent on helping his constitutents and the farming community. He received headlines in 2006 for being a House sponsor of a bill that would have made it clear animal waste should not be considered hazardous. Colleagues of both political parties said they respected Hyman, and as his seatmate, Rep. Jerry Shoemake, D-Morris, said, when Hyman spoke on the House floor members listened.
Hyman arrived early last month at the Capitol to file for re-electon. No big deal, he said. He usually arrived at the Capitol about 7:30 in the morning during session. Done with the paperwork by 8:30 a.m., he said he was happy to get back to his farm to check on his cattle and do other farm chores.
Farley’s funeral is set for tomorrow morning at an Edmond church and Hyman’s funeral is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at the Ardmore Convention Center. The governor, who plans to attend Hyman’s funeral, has ordered ordered all flags on state property to be flown at half staff tomorrow in honor of Hyman.
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
