Michigan’s
feckless lobbying law is on full display this week as the state’s top watchdog
of political funding reports that lobbyists spent $21 million wining and dining
and cajoling lawmakers over the past seven months, yet we know very little
about who benefited from that largesse.
The Michigan
Campaign Finance Network compiled all the semi-annual reports and found that lobbyists
and multi-client lobbying firms spent $538,625 for lawmaker’s hospitality, travel and accommodations in the first seven months of 2015. Just over $112,000
provided food and beverages to legislators in group situations. Of the
remaining $426,000 of entertaining that was reported, just $68,632, or 16
percent, was connected to a named beneficiary.
That is
because of weak disclosure requirement that excuse lobbyists from identifying
the recipients of much of the perks. The reports also combine all salaries and reimbursed
expenses for individual lobbyists into a single category that is not itemized.
founder of the MCFN, reports that lobbyists identified 15 individual
legislators who consumed more than $1,000 in dining and libations, led by Rep.
Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton), $5,136; Sen. Tory Rocca (R-Sterling Heights), $2,579;
and Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet), $2,569.
Itemized
totals for hospitality consumed by individual “lobbyable officials” came to
$63,543. The lobbying firm GCSI was the leading spender in entertaining named
individual lobbyable officials, at $27,129.
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| Sen. Rocca |
generous hosts in in group settings were: DTE Energy, $22,761; Michigan Cable
Telecommunications Association, $10,731; and Midwest Strategy Group of
Michigan, $10,233.
There were
just four reported trips involving three lawmakers, at a cost of $5,091, so far
in 2015: Two trips for Sen. Rocca to Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers meetings
that cost $1,409, and a trip sponsored by the Michigan Railroad Association for
Rep. Peter Pettalia and Snyder administration official John Walsh that cost
$3,682.
