Lobbyists and the organizations that employ them were supposed to file reports with the State Ethics Commission last week disclosing their spending on lobbying activities during the months of January and February. These reports are important because they provide the only public glimpse into lobbying during the annual legislative session. The next report isn’t due until May 31, long after the session will have ended.
I decided to take a quick look at the top ten lobbyists ranked in terms of expenditures made during the last reporting period, which covered the eight month period from May through December 2011.
The top spender during the period was Altria, the parent company of tobacco giant Philip Morris. The company’s expenditures included $50,000 in fees to G.A. “Red” Morris and Celeste Nip, and another $43,333 to attorney/lobbyist Gary Slovin.
The #2 spender was informed RX, the company which has been the drug provider for state and county employees, and which challenged the winning bid of rival CVS for the next contract period. The company paid $84,000 during the 8-month period to Harry Mark Fukuhara for lobbying services.
However, the 2012 expenditures of six of those Top 10 spenders had not yet been been posted on the Ethics Commission’s web site, making it difficult to assess the current situation.
It’s just another example of why the commission should be quickly moving towards online reporting by lobbyists and their employers, which would allow for immediate public disclosure. And, with online filing and immediate disclosure, there would be fewer excuses for the failure to provide more frequent reports by lobbyists while the legislature is in session.
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initial response: these are supposedly Hawaii’s biggest-spending lobbyists, and the amounts seem rather small. interesting.
second response: how much is not being reported?
Extremely good questions.
By the looks of it, Altria tobacco is not only at the top, but way above all the rest in spending. Makes you wonder what are they aiming for.
Because the system is self-reporting, it is common for organizations to under-report their lobbying expenses. And why not? There’s no oversight, audits or penalties for doing so. My complaint against the Hawaii Catholic Conference and the Hawaii Family Forum under-reporting lobbying expenses has languished for 1-1/2 years at the Ethics Commission. Hawaii Family Forum continues to claim their excessive lobbying costs little or nothing and Hawaii Catholic Conference just stopped filing reports. Of course these two organizations continue to lobby State Legislators.
This comment was submitted via email by Natalie:
The list of registered lobbyists is at http://hawaii.gov/ethics/lobby/reglob/llfeb12.pdf, and here’s the list of organizations represented by lobbyists http://hawaii.gov/ethics/lobby/orgrep/olfeb12.pdf.
hmmm’s question about what is not being reported is significant. While just scanning the list of organizations and lobbyists, it’s easy to see that not everyone who’s been lobbying and appears to meet the requirements is listed. I think part of the reason is for this is that some organizations may not be aware of the reporting requirements.
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A hui hou, Natalie
third response: general public indifference and apathy toward poor oversight of government is alive and well. Dick Nixon days are just getting worse. evidence will keep showing its messy head now and then. wonder what Hawaii’s next Mansho scandal will be like.
Ian, you should try ask the recipoients of this largesse (you know, the usual suspects like Morris, Radcliffe, etc.) where they park at the Capitol when they come to lobby there. You can be sure it’s not at the coin-op meters. I guess they don’t have to report this and wouldn’t in any event because it’s provided by an elected official, or at their behest. You know who to ask. Wink. Wink. Nod. Nod.