THE BEST GOVERNMENT MONEY CAN BUY?
Thursday, February 9th, 2006 -- 10:42 AM
Wisconsin lobbying groups set a new record for spending in last year. The state Ethics Board reports special-interest groups spent a record $30.6 million lobbying legislators, the governor and other state officials in 2005.There are 715 organizations with lobbyists, 753 registered lobbyists and over 264,500 were spent lobbying throughout the last year.
Jay Heck, executive director of the non-profit government watchdog Common Cause in Wisconsin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the Capitol's largest lobbying groups usually get what they want thanks to "strategic campaign donations" in election years.
The top 3:
[list][*]Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: $996,200.[*]The Wisconsin Education Association Council: $850,500[*]Wisconsin Hospital Association: $784,700[/list]
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