Earlier this week, Bluestem took a look at Senator Dave Thompson's consulting contracts with the Republican Party of Minnesota. As I catch up on contract puzzles, here's one piece from the marriage inequality amendment putsch, from Briana Bierschbach's article, House GOP vote on marriage amendment was defining issue of session’s last days:
Donors pressured Dean, Dean pressured members
After leaving the floor, Kelly said he had offered to step down from the House GOP Executive Committee for his stance, but Zellers declined his offer. “There was no arm-twisting, and nothing behind closed doors,” he added.
But other reports say plenty of arm-twisting was done, principally by Dean and his executive assistant, Bill Walsh. The efforts continued even as the debate proceeded. Another GOP operative said former legislators were using their influence to push for the amendment on Saturday evening, including former GOP House Rep. and 2012 U.S. Senate candidate Dan Severson, and even U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who authored the amendment during her time in the state Senate. Longtime former House GOP operative Gregg Peppin, who now runs his own strategy and lobbying shop, was signed to a one-week contract to lobby members to support the amendment. . . .
. . .By Peppin’s account, the fact that the Senate had already passed the amendment put pressure on the House to do so, too. “Frankly, it’s probably best for both sides that the issue at the legislative level is settled this year, and the campaigns can begin,” he said.
He added that there was a lot of discussion internally about whether it should happen in 2011 or 2012, especially as the leadership started out the year touting a budget-first agenda. But ultimately the prospect of wealthy donors on the pro-gay marriage side persuaded them to go for this session, Peppin said. “[Pro-gay marriage campaigns] typically have many well-to-do donors nationwide,” he noted, “and while there are some wealthy anti-gay-marriage supporters, there are more $5 and $10 donors on that side, and that money will take time to gather.”
Donations played into the calculus of the amendment vote in another way, according to one source who monitored the amendment effort. House Republican caucus uber-funder Robert Cummins, the chief executive officer of Primera Technology, is a fervid backer of the amendment and a past donor to anti-gay-marriage initiatives. Since 2004, Cummins has contributed more than $408,000 to groups like Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage — now Minnesota Majority — and the Minnesota Family Council, and has thrown hundreds of thousands of dollars at the House GOP caucus campaign chest. In a June 2010 Capitol Report story, then-caucus treasurer Matt Dean said Cummins is much more involved than the average donor. He works directly with House leaders to recruit Republican candidates to run in each district. “He understands the importance of winning elections,” Dean said at the time.
“Promises must have been made to outside sources,” the source said, adding that the caucus was reportedly promised several million dollars for the 2012 elections from various groups if the amendment passed this session.
Peppin understands that the vote was likely difficult for freshmen to make, especially those who narrowly won in swing districts last fall or those who campaigned on fiscal issues, not social ones. That was the case for freshman Rep. Kurt Bills, a schoolteacher from Rosemount who ultimately voted for the legislation.
Was Peppin hired by Dean's caucus to do the lobbying? Or was he hired by the wealthy donors mentioned in the article?
It's not entirely clear. If Peppin, the spouse of Representative Joyce Peppin, was hired by the caucus office, was the contract paid by by taxpayers? Or was the caucus campaign committee charged? Maybe those deep pockets.
Then there's also the question of that "strategy and lobbying shop" mentioned in the article. Peppin's shop, P2P Strategies describes itself as on its front page:
Without attention-grabbing images, compelling copy and superior graphic design, voters won’t even notice your political communications, let alone read them.
P2B Strategies is the idea team for Republican candidates, party and caucus committees, public policy/trade associations and issue advocacy groups.
We hone your message to produce creative direct mail and other political communications that win votes…and elections.
That's election material, mostly. Under the about section, P2P Strategies opens with:
We are a full service political consulting shop specializing in direct mail and voter contact literature for Republican candidates. We pride ourselves on providing quality service and products with a personal touch. We work non-stop to get you across the finish line.
Many of our clients like the efficiency that comes with using just one company for all their political communications needs. We offer a wide range of products and services and even if we don’t have what you’re looking for, we’ll find a way to get the job done! We’re always looking for ways to improve our clients chances at the polls.
Neither description is exactly lobbying. Nor does Gregg Peppin show up on the Lobbyist Index at the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. Nor do any of the other talent at the agency. And when Ben Golnik and Peppin merged forces back in December, the Strib's Hot Dish blog described it as a "public relations and mobilization business." None of the alliance's personnel is a lobbyist, either.
Did whomever funded Peppin slide under the wire for definition of "lobbyist"? From the campaign finance board's overview of lobbying:
An individual who communicates with public or local officials or urges others to communicate with public or local officials becomes a lobbyist after the individual:
- Is paid more than $3,000 in a year from all sources for lobbying,
- Spends more than $250 on lobbying, or
- Spends more than 50 hours in any month if the individual is a non-elected local official or an employee of a political subdivision
Will we ever know who paid for this hot mess? Taxpayers? Caucus campaign committee contributors? An association?
Photo: Seriously not Gregg Peppin.
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Robert Cummins... now where have I heard that name before? Ah, here: http://www.citypages.com/2008-05-28/feature/robert-cummins/
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Jun 03, 2011 at 10:17 PM