Legislators Lobby Lobbyists for Campaign Contributions

Capitol lobbyists are being besieged by state legislators for campaign contributions with less than a month remaining in the session--and some of them don’t like it.

One lobbyist reported receiving a record 74 invitations to cocktail parties and various other functions during August and September. It would cost his clients $37,504 if he were to attend each one.

In the absence of any legal limits on dollar amounts, cash contributions to legislators’ campaigns are by the far the most popular and most lucrative source of political money. And the political fund-raiser is the major cash conduit--via the lobbyist--from contributors such as corporations, institutions and unions.

Although some of these traditional contributors have suffered from the economic recession, lobbyists are reporting that requests for campaign donations are reaching new heights.

“I’ve never seen volume like this--ever,” said the lobbyist, who asked not to be identified because it could prove hazardous to the health of some of the legislation he is trying to get enacted. The legislative session is scheduled to end Sept. 13.

“It is unprecedented, particularly when you consider all of the fund-raising activities that went on last spring. This is the fourth time around (asking for money) for some of these people.”

The lobbyist also noted that the fund-raisers are being held in a year in which members of the Assembly and Senate do not face election.

While lawmakers say the tremendous cost of staging a campaign makes off-year fund raising necessary, Kim Alexander of California Common Cause called the practice “outrageous.”

“Year-round fund raising gives incumbents a big advantage over challengers when the election finally rolls around,” she said. “We’d like to see a ban on off-year fund raising.”

Typical of the Sacramento fund-raisers will be a $500-a-ticket cocktail party at Frank Fat’s restaurant being given by Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach).

As many legislators have repeatedly explained, Ferguson said his fund-raiser will have no influence on how he casts his votes. “The people who know me know I vote on the merits of bills,” Ferguson said, adding that he has faced serious challenges in the last two primary elections and still has a campaign debt of more than $20,000.

Most of the fund-raising events cost $500 a pop and are held in local watering holes near the Capitol. Many are scheduled on the same night, which would give a lobbyist a very bad case of sore feet if he or she wished to attend them all.

For example, there are a dozen fund-raisers scheduled for the night of Aug. 27. “I couldn’t go to all of them even if I wanted to,” groaned another veteran lobbyist.

The problem for lobbyists is that bills important to their clients are up for life or death voting decisions during the crucial last days of the session. Lawmakers keep close tabs on who does--and who doesn’t--buy fund-raiser tickets. A few lobbyists also have clients who refuse to contribute. Nonetheless, most will pay the price and show up at the fund-raisers they can’t afford to miss.

Although the voters approved campaign contribution limits in 1988, the restrictions were struck down in the courts, leaving no limits on how much can be raised at these events. There also is no limit to how many legislative fundraisers a lawmaker can throw in one year. One lobbyist claimed that former Sen. John Garamendi (D-Stockton), now state insurance commissioner, holds the record with six.

In an effort to give lobbyists something different for their money, legislators sometimes use gimmicks to boost ticket purchases.

For instance, lobbyists can pay $500 to watch the Washington Redskins play the Dallas Cowboys in an NFL television “Monday Night Football” game at a local sports bar and grill with Assemblyman Richard Floyd (D-Carson).

The same price buys a ticket to the opening night performance of the Tony Award-winning musical “Grand Hotel” at the local convention center with Assemblyman James Costa (D-Fresno)--plus drinks at intermission.

Then there are the $1,000-a-ticket affairs, usually held by legislative leaders or others in power positions.

Senate Republican floor leader Ken Maddy of Fresno and Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) both have such events scheduled later this month.

Assembly GOP leader Bill Jones of Fresno and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) are waiting until September. Brown’s event will be held at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles two days after the session ends. Several other major fund-raising events are being held immediately after the session.

Lobbyists are being asked to buy $1,000-a-page advertisements to extend their congratulations in a commemorative book for Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara), the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, at his 25th legislative anniversary gala.

This in addition to a request to purchase a table for 10 at the same event, which will run another $1,500.

Also for $1,000, a lobbyist can spend two days playing golf at the sixth annual Pebble Beach golf tournament hosted by Assemblyman Sam Farr (D-Carmel).

Assemblyman Willard Murray (D-Paramount) earlier this year added a new wrinkle to the campaign contribution fund-raising invitation game when he sent out $500-a-ticket invitations to what was billed as a “Great Gatsby Casino Affair.” Inside the invitation, the only words were his name and a listing of the Assembly committees and subcommittees on which he serves--a blunt reminder of the legislative issues over which Murray has influence.

One of the cheapest fund-raiser invitations is a $125 day at the races at the Del Mar racetrack with Assemblyman Dierdre Alpert (D-Del Mar). “But that doesn’t include your betting losses,” a lobbyist quipped.