Georgia lobbyists make sure lawmakers are fed when they travel
Statehouse lobbyists aren’t going to let Georgia lawmakers go hungry, even when they’re attending conferences out of the state.
That truism was on display last month at the Southern Legislative Conference in Lexington, Kentucky.
A dozen statehouse lobbyists, representing some of Georgia’s top corporate interests, spent about $4,500 on July 11 feeding state lawmakers attending the annual conference of Southern legislators, according to lobbyist disclosure reports.
Among others, the lobbyists represented the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, AT&T, the state’s largest nursing home company, AARP, CSX transportation, and the auto dealers lobby.
That $4,500 doesn’t include the hundreds of dollars lobbyists at the event spent on other meals for top lawmakers attending the conference.
AT&T’s lobby went from there to Cleveland and Philadelphia, where it reported spending about $1,400 on receptions for delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions.
About the Author
James Salzer has covered state government and politics in Georgia since 1990. He previously covered politics and government in Texas and Florida. He specializes in government finance, budgets, taxes, campaign finance, ethics and legislative history
