Assemblyman Offers Pointers for Lobbyists: Be Honest, Stay Calm

Lobbyists who come into his office informed, prepared, cooperative and noncombative have the best chance to get their message heard before a crucial vote, Assemblyman Tom Hannigan said.

The majority leader in the state’s lower house, in an article in the March issue of Western City magazine, offered these pointers for the professionals whose job it is to get votes: Be honest, be brief, work hard and keep calm.

The Fairfield Democrat said if you want his vote, you should have a sound reason that ideally offers something positive for the people of his district. You might consider recruiting someone from his district to help make your case.

Ask for a meeting with Hannigan in writing, briefly describing what you want to talk about, and don’t be offended if you wind up meeting with one of his staff members instead.

Staff Well-Informed

“It is difficult, but not impossible, to get an appointment with me in my office during the course of a legislative session,” Hannigan acknowledged.

As for staff members, Hannigan said, “They are usually well-informed on pending issues . . . and they will be able to give you informed feedback.

“They also will write a follow-up memo to me detailing who you are, and why you want me to vote a particular way. That memo . . . will find its way to a folder that I take to relevant committee and Assembly floor sessions.”

Just as important as meeting with a legislator’s staff is communicating your position on a bill to the staff of the committee that will be voting on the legislation. The committee staff prepares analyses of the bills for committee members.

“Be sure to give them a copy of your background material, along with a brief written summary of your position,” Hannigan wrote.

A Warning

The assemblyman, a member of the Legislature since 1978, offers a warning: It’s better to appear cooperative than combative.

“If your demeanor is grouchy or haughty, (staff) may decide that dealing with you isn’t going to be a pleasant experience. We all tend to put off returning phone calls to people who are going to be irritating or make unreasonable demands upon us.”

If Hannigan does vote as you had asked, “you might consider writing a letter to a newspaper in my district” as a way of thanking him, Hannigan said.

Perhaps you want to do more than ask for a vote--you want Hannigan to carry legislation for you. In that case, you ought to be prepared to work hard lobbying other legislators and interest groups to support its passage.

“The major thing to remember is to use me sparingly. Don’t have me involved in solving every minor glitch,” Hannigan said. “You want to keep me in reserve for the major battles.”

There are a couple of other things to remember too.

“Be utterly honest about who will oppose a bill you want me to carry, and why they are going to oppose it,” wrote Hannigan, who said he needs to anticipate the arguments raised by opponents during committee hearings.

Sometimes, he said, opposition does not surface until a bill is being heard. “I don’t have any good tips for this eventuality except, ‘Don’t lose your cool,’ ” Hannigan said.

If you testify during a hearing on a bill, offer brief comments or give only your name if that’s all the committee chairman wants, he said.

“Very often, committee chairpersons will instruct you please not to repeat anything that has been said before. They really mean it, and they get mad if you go on telling them what they’ve already heard from somebody else.”

Hannigan said his tips may not work with all legislators. But if you want his vote, he said, make sure your position would be good for the state.

“If you believe that, and you can articulate that belief convincingly, you have gone a long way in getting my support,” he said.