shareUpdate: Lobbyist Disclosures
Date: 11/12/2009
2008-09 Lobbyist Spending Reports
VPAP has posted the first batch of lobbyist spending reports for activity between May 2008 and April 2009.
This initial list includes the 151 clients who reported the most spending during 2008-09. In the weeks ahead, VPAP will continue to post additional clients in descending order of reported expenses.
When it comes to lobbying, Virginia is a disclosure-based state. Unlike many states, Virginia places few restrictions on the interaction between registered lobbyists and officials from executive and legislative branches. Once a year, lobbyists are required to disclose their activities and itemize certain types of expenses.
Top Spenders
Note: Allowable differences in the way lobbyists report compensation and event expenses can make an "apple-to-apple" comparison difficult. For instance, some lobbyists report all of their compensation, while others prorate compensation based on the amount of time spent in direct lobbying.
Entertainment Expenses
Lobbyists are required to fill out a disclosure form each time they spend more than $50 entertaining legislative and executive branch officials. If the cost per person is more than $50, the lobbyist is required to list officials' names.