Lobbyists gave $125,000 to legislators
Gifts averaged $1,200 per lawmaker in first quarter
Lobbyists reported providing just over $125,000 total worth of gift items to the 104 legislators that quarter, according to Deseret News analysis of lobbyist disclosure forms filed last week.
The analysis shows which lobbyists and industries gave the most, what gifts were most popular, and which legislators took the most. However, who received exactly what is, as usual, still largely a mystery.
Because of loopholes in Utah law, lobbyists did not disclose by name who received about 89 cents worth of every dollar they spent on gifts. That is because lobbyists must name recipients only when they spend more than $50 a day on a specific lawmaker.
Often, gifts will cost just under that amount. For example, at least eight lobbyists reported spending a few cents less than $50 on dinners with individual unnamed legislators, and some of them did it many times. Also in the past, lawmakers sometimes have agreed to pay part of the cost of the gift to keep under the name-disclosure requirement.
But Karen Crompton, head of Voice for Utah Children, a nonprofit group that cannot afford to wine and dine lawmakers, says, "It makes a difference of whether you have two minutes to talk (with a lawmaker) in the hallway or an hour and a half at lunch."
She adds, "Obviously, the more time you are able to spend with a legislator, the more time they have to get to know you and to build a relationship — and the more time to talk about an issue. That can make a difference," she said.
But Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo — who took the most in identifiable lobbyist gifts of any lawmaker at $1,447, largely because of a Delta Air Lines-paid trip to Atlanta — said lawmakers do not favor those who give gifts.
For example, he told about a lobbyist-paid trip a year ago for some lawmakers to tour a privatized state mental hospital in Florida, but Utah lawmakers decided against similar privatization in Utah. "A legislator going on a fact-finding trip doesn't always result in what the lobbyist was hoping for or expecting," he said. He adds he is willing to talk to anyone, and his door is open to all citizens.
Lincoln Shurtz — who gave the most of any lobbyist, $7,753, mostly for a Utah League of Cities and Towns dinner with legislators — says gifts are not needed for access. "This is a very citizen-friendly Legislature. Anyone can go to the Legislature, send in a card, and nine times out of 10 their legislator will come and meet with them," he said.
The analysis found that the more than half of the gift spending in the first quarter — about $68,000 — was for food, perhaps showing that lobbyists believe the old adage that the quickest way to the heart is through the stomach.
One Valentine's Day gift may show that more than most. Spencer Stokes — registered as a lobbyist for many organizations including EnergySolutions, Microsoft and America First Credit Union — spent $387 to send "chocolate gifts" to all 104 legislators on that day for lovers.
Lobbyists spent another $21,000 on various forms of entertainment in the quarter. It included such things as the Utah Symphony and Opera spending $2,040 in free tickets for 60 unnamed lawmakers (plus $2,593 on a preconcert reception). A lobbyist for the Hale Center Theater provided $2,520 worth of tickets to its production of the "Civil War" to unnamed lawmakers.
A lobbyist for Thanksgiving Point spent $3,567 on an event hosting lawmakers at its Museum of Ancient Life. The University of Utah spent $2,256 for lawmakers at a gala honoring Nobel Prize winner Mario Capecchi.
Also, lobbyists gave at least $2,280 worth of Utah Jazz tickets to lawmakers. They gave at least $563 worth of college sports tickets to them.
Lobbyists also spent at least $11,500 on receptions for lawmakers. They also spent at least $10,500 on low-cost gifts, ranging from the T-shirts and umbrellas given by a lobbyist for Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield to the baseball caps provided by a lobbyist for the Utah Rural Electrical Association.
Lobbyists spent at least $11,000 on other gifts, whose nature is a bit murky. They described those gifts with vague terms such as "public relations," "building relations" or "meeting," without saying exactly what was provided.
Only 55 percent of gift spending can be tied directly to specific companies or groups, because lobbyists with many clients are not required to break out their spending by separate clients.
Where spending can be tied to specific groups or companies, the health-care industry spent the most on gifts, $15,432. That was followed by $11,500 by general business groups, $11,300 by entertainment groups, $6,680 by education groups, and $5,650 by communications groups.
The biggest spending by individual, identifiable groups included $11,497 by the Utah Beverage Association; $4,633 by the Utah Symphony and Opera; $4,135 by Thanksgiving Point; $3,375 by the Deseret News (for free newspapers for lawmakers); $3,313 by the University of Utah; $3,133 by Merit Medical Systems; and $3,051 by Questar.
Lawmakers who received the most in identifiable gifts included Bramble, $1,447; House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, $1,199; Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, $920; Senate Assistant Majority Whip Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, $692; and Senate Majority Whip Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, $473.
As an example of what was received, Bramble received airfare of $800 and a $120 hotel stay in Atlanta paid for a lobbyist for Delta Air Lines; an $85 dinner at Ruth's Chris steak house paid by lobbyist David Copeland; $94 for a meal at Cucina Toscana by lobbyist Gina Crezee; a $216 wedding gift for Bramble's son from lobbyist Christopher Kyler; $25 for "public relations" by Xango; and $19 spent at a meeting by lobbyist Peggy Harrison.
Individual lobbyists who gave the most to lawmakers include Shurtz, $7,752; Robert Jolley (whose many clients include AT&T, Cash America and Delta Air Lines), $4,321; David Copeland (clients include Intermountain Healthcare, Wal-Mart and Comcast), $4,218; Jennifer Stevens (Thanksgiving Point), $4,135; and Stokes (clients include EnergySolutions, Microsoft and America First Credit Union), $3,716.
E-mail: lee@desnews.com
Recent comments
I mean his son's wedding :)
Concerned Republican | April 21, 2008 at 6:22 p.m.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that after the Atlanta trip, Bramble...
Concerned Republican | April 21, 2008 at 6:20 p.m.
Love of money is evil. The current party of legislative power loves...
v | April 21, 2008 at 3:16 p.m.
