Lobbying Season In Full Swing For Legislature
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
ALBANY – It’s a busy week for the Legislature.
It’s not busy just because they have only nine regular days – besides their Easter holiday – to end 20 years of futility and pass a state budget on time. Their schedules are full because many of them are throwing parties for some of their closest supporters, ones who won’t hound lawmakers like voters did last fall about the need for reforming Albany and its pay-to-play routine.
This week, 17 lawmakers and their campaign committees will likely collect at least $266,600 in two days of campaign fund-raising events at Albany over silver plates of cheese and crackers and bacon-wrapped hors d’oeuvres. For the $150 to $500 it costs to get in, a lobbyist will be able to make a record of his special interest’s special interest in the lawmaker.
It’s more likely at least 100 lobbyists will show up at the private bashes, pumping $355,200 into lawmakers’ campaign funds by the end of today, according to invitations compiled by the New York Public Interest Research Group.
“It’s so brazen,” said Nypirg’s Blair Horner. “It’s organizing an event in Albany only for lobbyists. So you have this unsettling spectacle of lawmakers voting on bills during the day, then being showered at night with cash from people trying to influence their vote.”
The top-dollar parties today are by Republican Senator Nicholas Spano of Westchester, who plans a $500-a-ticket fund-raiser, and Democratic Assemblyman Ryan Karben’s $375 event. Mr. Spano didn’t return calls seeking comment yesterday.
“Assemblyman Karben approaches government with an open mind,” said Karben spokesman Aaron Troodler. “At the end of the day, he makes up his own mind. It’s as simple as that.”
Asked why, then, the assemblyman takes money from lobbyists, Mr. Troodler said: “I’m going to stick with what I just said.”
Between January 10 and April 11 – 10 days after the state budget deadline – Albany will be the site of more than 90 fund-raisers attracting unions, corporations, and more narrow interests seeking to influence legislation, raise state funds, or secure tax breaks.
If 50 tickets are sold to each, lawmakers’ campaign committees will pocket almost $1.6 million collected in 22 days of events. That’s $72,500 a night on average.
