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NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: For more information:
Monday, June 7, 2010 Blair Horner 518 669-0886
Bill Mahoney 518 817-3738

NYPIRG:  NEW YORK'S TOP LOBBYISTS KICK IN OVER $2 MILLION IN CAMPAIGN

CONTRIBUTIONS TO INFLUENCE STATE POLICIES;
GROUP URGES BAN ON LOBBYISTS' CAMPAIGN GIVING, 31 STATES WITH LIMITS

Lobbyists kicked in at least $2.2 million in campaign donations since the 2008 election, according to an analysis released by
the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). NYPIRG reviewed the state’s 50 largest lobby firms and found
$1,452,299 came directly from these firms or their PACs, and $764,253 was given by individual lobbyists registered with the
state’s Commission on Public Integrity – the agency that monitors lobbying. The top 50 lobbying firms represented 75
percent of all lobbying spending (there were 329 contract firms in 2009). NYPIRG cautioned that these figures are likely to
be very conservative since lobbyists not only donate their own money, but also “bundle” contributions from their clients and
others. The top ten lobbying firms that donated:

Lobby Firm Name Rank $ Firm $ from Individuals Total Camp $

WILSON ELSER MOSKOWITZ EDELMAN & DICKER 1 $262,345 $11,815 $274,160
BROWN MCMAHON & WEINRAUB, LLC 2 $170,540 $29,045 $199,585
HINMAN STRAUB ADVISORS LLC 3 $168,624 $4,700 $173,324
BURGOS, TONIO & ASSOCIATES, INC. 4 $124,000 $11,200 $135,200
GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP 5 $106,650 $13,835 $120,485
PARK STRATEGIES, LLC 6 $93,080 $93,080
LYNCH, PATRICIA ASSOCIATES, INC. 7 $46,895 $38,640 $85,535
BOLTON ST. JOHNS, LLC 8 $51,050 $33,932 $84,982
L&J RAD LLC 9 $66,385 $66,385
MEARA, BRIAN R. PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC. 10 $15,050 $50,300 $65,350

In New York State, as in the rest of the nation, lobbyists have unique relationships with policymakers – relationships that are
often exploited to benefit lobbyists’ causes. In most of the rest of the nation, states have placed unique restrictions on
lobbyists’ campaign giving in order to more clearly separate advocacy from contributions. NYPIRG released information
collected by the National Conference of State Legislature which identified states that restrict lobbyists’ campaign activities.
According to the NCSL, thirty-one states restrict – or outright prohibit – lobbyists’ involvement in campaign fundraising. New
York was one of the nineteen states that place no unique limitations.
NYPIRG’s analysis also found that former elected officials who are now lobbyists donated nearly $143,000 from their
political committees that were established for their electoral campaigns.
NYPIRG called on the governor and legislative leaders to approve legislation designed to limit the “pay to play” activities of
the state’s lobbyists.
Attached: One page listing of the top 50 lobbying firms involved in campaign giving.
One page review of the 50 states’ restrictions on lobbyists’ campaign donations.
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107 Washington Avenue, 2 Floor • Albany, New York 12210-2270 • 518-436-0876 • Fax 518-432-6178
Offices In: Albany, Buffalo, Cortland, Long Island, New Paltz, New York City, Purchase & Syracuse
Recycled paper
 CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM TOP 50 LOBBY FIRMS1
Lobby Firm Name Rank $ from Firms $ from Individuals Total Camp $
WILSON ELSER MOSKOWITZ EDELMAN & DICKER, LLP 1 $262,345 $11,815 $274,160
BROWN MCMAHON & WEINRAUB, LLC 2 $170,540 $29,045 $199,585
HINMAN STRAUB ADVISORS LLC 3 $168,624 $4,700 $173,324
BURGOS, TONIO & ASSOCIATES, INC. 4 $124,000 $11,200 $135,200
GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP 5 $106,650 $13,835 $120,485
PARK STRATEGIES, LLC 6 $93,080 $93,080
LYNCH, PATRICIA ASSOCIATES, INC. 7 $46,895 $38,640 $85,535
BOLTON ST. JOHNS, LLC 8 $51,050 $33,932 $84,982
L&J RAD LLC 9 $66,385 $66,385
MEARA, BRIAN R. PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC. 10 $15,050 $50,300 $65,350
PARKSIDE GROUP, LLC (THE) 11 $54,450 $5,655 $60,105
IGR GROUP 12 $36,600 $16,594 $53,194
ROFFE GROUP P.C. (THE) 13 $2,000 $49,950 $51,950
DAVIDOFF MALITO & HUTCHER LLP 14 $18,800 $32,440 $51,240
MCKENNA LONG & ALDRIDGE, LLP 15 $34,514 $16,125 $50,639
OSTROFF, HIFFA & ASSOCIATES, INC. 16 $7,155 $42,275 $49,430
CORDO & COMPANY, LLC 17 $38,650 $7,325 $45,975
FEATHERSTONHAUGH, WILEY & CLYNE, LLP 18 $27,008 $18,340 $45,348
WHITEMAN OSTERMAN & HANNA LLP 19 $8,934 $36,000 $44,934
MALKIN & ROSS 20 $37,740 $2,675 $40,415
HARTER SECREST & EMERY, LLP 21 $28,525 $7,735 $36,260
MANATT, PHELPS & PHILLIPS, LLP 22 $10,200 $18,760 $28,960
MARSH, WASSERMANN & MCHUGH, LLC 23 $23,249 $3,350 $26,599
PLUMMER & ASSOCIATES, LLC 24 $24,035 $100 $24,135
YOSWEIN NEW YORK, INC. 25 $11,450 $11,730 $23,180
KASIRER CONSULTING 26 $20,350 $20,350
ARZT, GEORGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 27 $3,750 $16,300 $20,050
PITTA BISHOP DEL GIORNO & GIBLIN LLC 28 $13,000 $7,035 $20,035
VIDAL GROUP, LLC (THE) 29 $13,325 $6,600 $19,925
CONSTANTINOPLE & VALLONE CONSULTING LLC 30 $11,276 $6,905 $18,181
TLM ASSOCIATES LLC 31 $11,100 $6,378 $17,478
KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL, LLP 32 $17,445 $17,445
CONNELLY & MCLAUGHLIN 33 $1,050 $15,570 $16,620
CAPALINO, JAMES F. & ASSOCIATES, INC. 34 $2,750 $13,480 $16,230
CAPITOL GROUP, LLC 35 $13,998 $600 $14,598
BOGDAN LASKY & KOPLEY, LLC 36 $11,000 $3,100 $14,100
POWERS & COMPANY 37 $9,600 $2,049 $11,649
LAW OFFICES OF CLAUDIA WAGNER LLC 38 $11,275 $11,275
FRIED FRANK HARRIS SHRIVER & JACOBSON 39 $10,480 $10,480
LOCICERO & TAN, INC. 40 $5,700 $4,050 $9,750
EMPIRE STRATEGIC PLANNING, INC. 41 $6,625 $1,500 $8,125
WEINGARTEN, REID & MCNALLY, LLC 42 $6,511 $1,510 $8,021
STATE & BROADWAY, INC. 43 $1,000 $5,400 $6,400
SHEINKOPF, LTD. 44 $2,150 $3,300 $5,450
HILL & GOSDECK 45 $2,570 $2,750 $5,320
GETO & DE MILLY, INC. 46 $1,575 $3,515 $5,090
MEYER SUOZZI ENGLISH & KLEIN, PC 47 $3,454 $1,000 $4,454
MIRRAM GROUP, LLC (THE) 48 $3,050 $925 $3,975
CRANE SANDERS, LLC 49 $1,000 $1,000
SANZILLO, FRANCIS J. & ASSOCIATES 50 $100 $100

1 The campaign donations cover the reporting periods January 15, 2009 through January 15, 2010.
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 31 STATES PLACE “PAY TO PLAY” RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYISTS1
State Unique restrictions on legislative session or lobbyists’ campaign donations?
Alabama All fundraising is banned during the legislative session.2
Alaska All fundraising is banned during the legislative session.3 Lobbyists banned, other than their personal
representatives, during their registration and one year thereafter.
Arizona Lobbyists are banned from making campaign contributions during the legislative session.
Arkansas No
California Lobbyists are banned from making contributions.4
Colorado Lobbyists are banned from making campaign contributions during the legislative session.
Connecticut Lobbyists are banned from campaign fundraising for exploratory, candidate, leadership, caucus or party
committees and during legislative or special sessions.5
Delaware No
Florida Fundraising is banned by House rule.
Georgia All fundraising banned during the legislative session.
Hawaii No
Idaho No
Illinois Fundraising banned during part of the legislative session.6
Indiana All fundraising banned during the General Assembly’s session.
Iowa Lobbyists and PACs are prohibited from making contributions during the legislative session.7
Kansas Lobbyists and PACs are prohibited from making contributions during the legislative session.
Kentucky Lobbyists are prohibited from making contributions to legislative candidates.
Louisiana All fundraising banned during the legislative session.8
Maine Lobbyists are banned from making campaign contributions during the legislative session.
Maryland All fundraising banned during the legislative session.
Massachusetts Lobbyists are limited to no more than $200 in campaign contributions per calendar year.
Michigan No
Minnesota Lobbyists and PACs are prohibited from making contributions during the legislative session.9
Mississippi No
Missouri No
Montana No
Nebraska No
Nevada All fundraising banned during the legislative session.10
New Hampshire No
New Jersey No
New Mexico All fundraising banned during the legislative session.
New York No
North Carolina Lobbyists banned from making campaign contributions during the General Assembly’s session.
North Dakota No
Ohio No
Oklahoma Fundraising is limited during the legislative session; lobbyists are prohibited from making campaign
contributions during the legislative session.11
Oregon All fundraising banned during the legislative session.12
Pennsylvania No
Rhode Island No
South Carolina Lobbyists are prohibited from making contributions to candidates.
South Dakota No
Tennessee Fundraising is limited during the legislative session; lobbyists are prohibited from making campaign
contributions during the legislative session
Texas All fundraising banned during the legislative session.
Utah All fundraising banned during the legislative session.
Vermont Lobbyists’ employers are banned from fundraising during the legislative session.
Virginia All fundraising banned during the legislative session.
Washington All fundraising banned during the legislative session.13
West Virginia No
Wisconsin Lobbyists are banned from fundraising during the legislative session.14
Wyoming No

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Endnotes:
1 Source: National Conference for State Legislatures. See: http://www.ncsl.org/Default.aspx?TabId=16544, and for lobbyists
specifically: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16557. Our analysis combined those reports.
2 Exception for a period of 120 days before any primary, runoff or general election, and for candidates participating in a special election.
3 Exception for the 90 days preceding an election for contributions made outside the capital city.
4 If the lobbyist is registered to lobby the candidate or officeholder’s agency.
5 Spouses, dependent children as covered as well as any committee controlled by the lobbyist, the spouse or dependent children,
6 Prohibits fundraising with 50 miles of the capital city during the last 90 days before adjournment exempts legislators from local area.
7 And for 30 days after session, cannot make contributions to the governor or a gubernatorial candidate.
8 NCSL states that there are “certain exceptions” to the prohibition.
9 “Caucus” fundraisers are banned as well.
10 Includes 30 days before and after session.
11 Fundraising ban does not apply to Oklahoma County.
12 The Oregon Attorney General has opined that the law is unconstitutional and is not enforced.
13 Including 30 days prior to session.
14 Can only make contributions after June 1, as long as the legislature is not in session. The Senate and the House ban fundraisers in

Dane County during session.