What lobbyists spend to ‘woo’ lawmakers

The state Legislature is considering measures to curtail lobbyist spending, which has no cap on what lobbyists can spend wooing lawmakers. In the past, lobbyists have shelled out thousands for dinners, football tickets and other gifts to influence members of the state legislative delegation to support their issues.

Reporter Newspapers examined reports of what lobbyists spent on our local legislators. Below is a list compiled from the state’s Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. In some cases the reports listed gifts legislators returned and not factored into the overall total amount listed here. See the reports at http://ethics.ga.gov/

Georgia Senate

District 6

Hunter Hill

R – Atlanta

2012: $50

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $100 for ticket to state Chamber of Commerce breakfast (in 2013)

District 32

Judson Hill, R-Marietta

2012: $2,051

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $328 for Falcons tickets

District 38

Horacena Tate D – Atlanta

2012: $902

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $300 on dinner

District 39

Vincent Fort D – Atlanta

2012: $489

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $129 on dinner

District 40

Fran Millar, R-Dunwoody

2012: $1,241

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $328 on Falcons tickets

District 56

John Albers, R-Roswell

2012: $1,051

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $110 on dinner

Georgia House of Representatives

District 40

Rich Golick, R – Smyrna

2012: $281

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $100 on dinner

District 45

Matt Dollar, R-Marietta

2012: $1,175

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $111 on dinner

District 52

Joe Wilkinson

R – Atlanta

2012: $189

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $50 on lunch

District 53

Sheila Jones, D – Atlanta

2012: $2,847

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $1,751 on advertising in support of charter schools

District 54

Edward Lindsey

R – Atlanta

2012: $1,442

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $431 on lodging for a government affairs conference

District 51

Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs

2012: $263

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $86 on a meal

District 79

Tom Taylor, R-Dunwoody

2012: $1,557

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $267 on lodging for a conference

District 80

Mike Jacobs

R – Brookhaven

2012: $258

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $104 on dinner

District 81

Scott Holcomb, D – Atlanta

2012: $268

Biggest amount spent on legislator? $100 on a campaign contribution