Capital Lobbyists Set Spending Mark of $158.4 Million

More than $82.8 million was spent last year to lobby the Legislature and various state agencies, raising the total amount for the 1987-88 legislative session to a record $158.4 million, the Fair Political Practices Commission reported Tuesday.

The total was $22.8 million higher than the $135.6 million spent trying to influence votes on bills and administrative decisions during the 1985-86 session, according to the FPPC.

The biggest individual spender last year was the California Manufacturers Assn. with $2.2 million. Following, in order, were the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, $1.1 million; the California Medical Assn., $1.1 million; the California Bankers Assn., $973,072, and RJR Nabisco, $737,277.

Next in line were the Assn. of California Insurance Companies, $725,165; the California Trial Lawyers Assn., $698,530; the California Cogeneration Council, $645,109; Anheuser-Busch Co., $631,033, and the California Assn. of Realtors, $628,624.

The MWD was the No. 1 spender, the manufacturers group ranked No. 2, and the CMA was No. 3 in the 1987 standings.

Business firms as a category spent the most money, $43.02 million, or 51.9% of the total lobbying expenditures for last year. Government entities ranked second, with $9.1 million or 11.1% of the total. Health-related groups were No. 3, with $8.5 million or 10.3% of the total.

The lobbying firm that received the most money from clients was Jackson Barish & Associates, with $1.8 million. The firm, headed by veteran lobbyist Clay Jackson, is employed by a variety of clients, including breweries, insurance companies, lottery equipment firms, Contra Costa County, and the city of Irwindale.

The second highest paid lobbying firm was Advocation Inc., headed by Donald K. BrOwn, with $1.4 million. BrOwn says he capitalizes the O in his last name to avoid confusion with other people named Brown. His clients include the California Manufacturers Assn., General Motors Corp., H&R; Block, the Irvine Co., Knott’s Berry Farm and the Summa Corp.

The third-ranking firm was the law firm Nossaman Gunther, Knox & Elliott/JLA Advocates, with $1.3 million. The firm includes former longtime Sen. John F. Foran (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman John T. Knox (D-Richmond) among its legislative advocates.

Next were George Steffes Inc., $1.2 million, and Carpenter & Associates, $1.2 million. Steffes once served as legislative secretary to former Gov. Ronald Reagan, and Dennis E. Carpenter is a former Republican state senator from Newport Beach.