Back in February, Jeff Severns Guntzel took a look at some 2010 data about Lobbying the Legislature: Who's spending what?
An interesting question.
If you listen to registered lobbyist and unsuccessful 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer speaking last Saturday, you'd think it was only groups wanting to fund public programs who lobbied. Certainly not him. And certainly not his corporate friends.
But Guntzel found that:
All told, lobbying organizations reported spending close to $11 million dollars in 2010.
At nearly $1 million, Minnesota Business Partnership spent more money than any other organization working to influence legislative action, which can include action by committees, subcommittees, resolutions, nominations, appointments, and even gubernatorial response to a bill. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce comes in a close second at $918,000...
Via MN Forward, the Minnesota Business Partnership supported Tom Emmer for governor, and the Chamber's own PAC endorsed him. Did the Minnesota Business Partnership never visit Tom Emmer when he served in the Minnesota House through 2010, as it sought lowered taxes? And he never saw the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce?
Something seems to have worked out for them, since--as Growth and Justice notes, "the wealthiest Minnesotans pay the lowest proportion of their income in state and local taxes."
And why didn't Tom Emmer mention to the crowd that he indeed lobbies for government control, on behalf of the Minneapolis Radiation Oncology Physicians, a group which seeks to have the government prevent other doctors from entering their marketplace?
A Bluestem Quicktake from the rally:
Screenshot: Lobbyist Tom Emmer is talking. You know what's happening.
Related post: A Republican Lupercalia; or, Whipping up a frenzy for Tom Emmer online.
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