Get the Facts on Lobbyists

Regarding your Jan. 26 editorial, “The Time to Change County Contracting is Now,” and related coverage, it appears in a rush to criticize lobbyists, key facts have been overlooked and worse, a falsehood has been perpetuated.

The falsehood: “ . . . for more than a decade no contract worth $1 million or more was won by a company that did not employ a lobbyist.” This disinformation has been repeated so many times from anti-lobbyists to the media without anyone bothering to check out the true facts. It’s simply not true.

Omissions stem from your citing lobbyists’ campaign contributions and fund-raising as the problem with lobbyists advocating on county contracts. Consider:

(1) Proposition 208 now bans all contributions and fund-raising by lobbyists;

(2) Your editorial notes existing county bans on all gifts, even coffee, so no wining and dining occurs;

(3) You completely ignore the possibility [that] lobbyists might actually possess marketing and communications skills benefiting their clients.

The Times has every right to advocate reform, but you should do so accurately and completely. Lobbyists perform valuable services for their clients. Businesses have a right to hire what they need to be competitive, whether it be the best engineer, graphic artist or a lobbyist.

SAM ROTH

Co-Chair, Orange County

Public Affairs Assn.

Irvine