Comments on JCOPE’s proposed Advisory Opinion on reporting obligations under the Lobbying Act for a party who is compensated for consulting services in connection with lobbying activity

SUMMARY

The Government Ethics Committee submitted a supplemental letter to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE). The letter concerned lobbyist and “consultant” disclosure requirements and urged JCOPE to take an expansive view of what constitutes both “direct” and “grassroots” lobbying. Only by broadly interpreting lobbying requirements can JCOPE ensure that truly useful information is disclosed about who is lobbying public officials and how much they are spending to do so. This information, together with specific information as to who is being lobbied, provides the public, government officials and others with information that can be used to evaluate how the process of government is functioning, as well as the objectivity of government representatives and the value of proposed legislation.