Undue influence: Pennsylvania needs full lobbyist disclosure
The good-government group Common Cause postulates in a recent newsletter that Pennsylvania’s status as the only state without a lobbyist disclosure law makes the Commonwealth an unbridled “pay to play” state, which puts it at a competitive business disadvantage. With no regulation or legally required reporting requirements, it’s easy to see validity to that theory, especially when lawmakers are free to accept as many meals as their stomachs can handle, to load up their sleighs with more gifts than Santa Claus and to take as many free trips as they can chart on Mapquest. Numbers don’t lie – and those quoted by Common Cause underscore the magnitude of the problem. In 2004, lobbyists spent a minimum of $122 million influencing the legislative process in Pennsylvania. We know that because of the state Senate’s internal reporting requirements. However, that total may not reflect the totality of lobbying work done with the state House, the governor, executive agencies or independent agencies like the Turnpike Commission. In all likelihood, the amount lobbyists spend on influencing state government on behalf of their clients is much higher.
Compare that to these 2004 lobbying expenditures in nearby states: West Virginia, $311,519; Ohio, $394,146; New Jersey, $25 million; and Maryland, $38.5 million. Only New York, at $144 million, came in higher – but it’s not far-fetched to believe that a full accounting of lobby spending in Pennsylvania would eclipse that mark.
Based on the state Senate reports, lobbyists have spent one-third of a billion dollars influencing Pennsylvania government in the past three years. And that’s only a portion of the overall financial picture.
Just what do they spend it on? Common Cause says the Pennsylvania Ski Association “distributed free lift tickets, good at 22 resorts around the state and valued at $600 each, to lawmakers.” Seventy-five lawmakers took the freebie, amassing 280 VIP season passes for themselves, their families and staff members. Wouldn’t you like to know if your representative or senator was one of them? And would this information make a difference to you if your lawmaker supported one of the 13 ski resort-related bills that Common Cause says have been introduced this session, including one that would limit lawsuits over injuries sustained on the slopes?
Common Cause also notes that the state regulates and licenses car salespeople, caterers, barbers and manicurists, but does not even require registration of lobbyists. Nor does it make them disclose how much money they’re spending to influence your government. Contrast that with the 12 states (including Maryland and Michigan) that mandate electronic filing of lobby money to make public access easier, or with the three states (Florida, South Carolina and Wisconsin) that ban gifts altogether.
Pennsylvania should be leading, not trailing, the pack.