Lobbying loophole lets some avoid list
Lawmakers pay enough to keep gifts under $50
But there's a new twist in the gift-giving and gift-taking: During an annual St. George post-legislative weekend, some of the legislators who attended the golfing trip picked up part of their green fees — just enough out-of-pocket expenses so lobbyists don't have to list the legislators' names on their reports.
Several lobbyists who went on the March 3-5 weekend list green fees paid at $49.99.
Said one of the lobbyists: "You can't get a round of golf" for $49.99 at Washington County courses. And some of the legislators golfing with the lobbyists paid the difference so that the lawmakers didn't have to accept a $50 gift.
State law says if a registered lobbyist spends more than $50 a day on a legislator or executive branch employee, the gift-taker's name must be listed on the report.
Did the lobbyists pay $49.99 so the lawmakers' name wouldn't be listed?
Robin Riggs, a well-known lobbyist and former Gov. Mike Leavitt's legal counsel, confirmed that the lawmakers paid part of the fees to keep their names off the report. Riggs is now legal counsel for the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and handles a few private clients as well.
Riggs reported spending more than $441 on breakfasts, lunches and golf games for lawmakers — but never exceeding the $50 limit. According to Riggs' report, he spent $49.99 on golf in St. George on March 3 and again on March 4.
Having legislators pick up part of their round of golf or expensive dinner is a new twist in what has become over the past decade the game of lobbyists entertaining some legislators without having to disclose the gift-takers' names.
Several years ago it was common practice for some lobbyists, working together, to split the cost of a Jazz ticket or round of golf, each taking half or a third of the cost to get each lobbyists' share under $50, and thus the legislator's name wouldn't be listed.
Legislators themselves changed lobbyist reporting rules to get around that "trick," as one legislator called it.
But now, if a legislator is willing to kick in some cash himself, there's another way around the naming law.
About a dozen legislators went on the early March trip, two lobbyists said. "There were a few new" legislators attending, but mostly it was the same group of "legislators who like to golf," said one lobbyist who has attended for several years.
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