Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Common Cause's Lobbyist Report

Common Cause New Mexico on Monday released its long-promised report on lobbying in the state Legislature. My story in today's New Mexican can be found HERE.
Where the campaign contributions from oil companies
 to NM politicians come from

With former state Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque as one of the researchers, the report looks at lobbying efforts for four bills in the past sessions. (I wrote about two of those in my story.)

Among the findings in the report:

•  Six top lobbyists in the legislature have 20 or more clients

• 26 former legislators are now lobbyists.

• Lobbyist have spent three-quarters of a million dollars feeding, entertaining, and giving gifts to candidates for state office, over the past year and a half.

• Representatives opposing a bill to regulate oil and gas operations received three and one half times more contributions than those voting for it.

• Two thirds of oil and gas contributions to legislators come from companies based outside New Mexico.

• Special interests representing bankers and lawyers spent heavily on key committee members to block legislation over several years.

You can read and/or download the entire report below