An analysis by The Associated Press of preliminary Legislative Counsel Bureau records on lobbyist spending shows the advocates are well ahead of their pace during the first month of the 2007 session, when they spent $42,586 wining and dining the lawmakers.
The February 2009 spending included $56,717 on group events, and another $1,278 on individual legislators.
The $1,278 for individual legislators isn’t much compared with the group event spending. However, there’s no lawmaker-by-lawmaker spending breakdown for big events, to which all Assembly members and senators as well as many non-legislators were invited.
A breakdown of the $1,278 in spending on individual legislators in February shows that Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, was No. 1, getting $316 in food and drinks from lobbyists.
Schneider, chairman of the Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee, is no newcomer to the top spot. He led all other lawmakers during the entire 2007 session, with $800 in lobbyists’ largesse.
Assembly Corrections, Parole and Probation Chairman William Horne, D-Las Vegas, was down for $154, followed by Assembly Commerce and Labor Chairman Marcus Conklin, D-Las Vegas, at $117; Assembly Transportation Chairman Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, at $74, and Assemblyman Chad Christensen, R-Las Vegas, at $68.
Rounding out the top 10, Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, is listed at $67; followed by Assemblyman Moises Denis, D-Las Vegas, at $65, Senate Taxation Chairman Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, at $60; Assembly Elections, Procedures, Ethics and Constitutional Amendments Chairwoman Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, at $40; and freshman Assemblyman John Hambrick, R-Las Vegas, at $34.
Lobbyists reported spending nothing on 34 of the 63 lawmakers; and $31 or less on 19 others.
The most expensive gatherings held for lawmakers and others included separate events held by the Nevada chapter of Associated General Contractors and the Nevada Taxpayers Association. Each of those events cost more than $11,000.
The Nevada Golf Industry Alliance held a reception that cost $3,823; while a GE Energy reception at the governor’s mansion, hosted by former Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, cost $3,115; and the Nevada Credit Union League held a reception that cost $2,923.
Besides the group events, the lobbyists filed information showing one-on-one meetings with lawmakers and money spent. At the head of that list was Tim Crowley, representing the Nevada Mining Association, at $217.
Other advocates and their spending included NV Energy lobbyist Judy Stokey at $114; Brian McAnallen of EMBARQ at $96; former judge and lawmaker Gene Porter of Frias Holding Co. at $88; George Ross, with numerous clients including hospitals, restaurants, banks and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, at $79; Andrew Abboud of Las Vegas Sands at $75; Perkins, with numerous clients besides GE Energy, at $69; Robert Gastonguay of the Cable Telecommunications Association at $67; Stacy Howard of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association at $56; and Josh Griffin, with media, medical, mining, casino and other clients, at $55.
Lobbyists reported spending just over $175,000 in food and drinks on Nevada lawmakers during the four-month-long 2007 session. But the reports didn’t include the advocates’ personal expenses, such as their pay, housing, transportation and their own food and drinks and other related costs.
Critics of the sketchy reports say there’s likely to be some nonreporting or underreporting by some of the 970 registered advocates, including 570 paid lobbyists. However, there’s no way to prove it since there’s no follow-up accounting or auditing.
More detailed reports are filed by some government agency lobbyists with their employers. But government advocates represent less than one-fourth of the total number of those lobbying the Legislature.
I amd now 73 years old. and last July 1, 2008 I moved to Arizona, and found the chicanery, lying seems just as rampant as in Nevada.
I would hope that Nevada would be able to recognize the imprortance of libraries, education an kpolice and fire services. Put the politics and rampant spending aside an think...
This is of course doesn not apply to all politicians, lobbyists and other people lin stat governments, but in the event anyone reads my opinion on this and any part applies..........