San Francisco Ethics Commission
releases 2007 report on lobbyist activity

Illustration courtesy OpenSecrets.org

From the San Francisco Ethics Commission

April 19, 2007

The San Francisco Ethics Commission has released a summary of activities reported by 40 lobbyists filing with the City and County of San Francisco for the first quarter lobbyist disclosure period covering January 1, 2007 through March 31, 2007.

The report summarizes payments promised by or received from clients of contract lobbyists, payments made by business and organization, and expenditure lobbyists for the purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action. In addition, the report details lobbyist activity expenses, political contributions, gift tickets or admissions given to City officials, City contracts awarded during the reporting period, payments received in exchange for providing campaign consulting services, and employment of City officers or employees. Individual lobbyist activity reports containing other information are available at the Ethics Commission office at 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 220, on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Copies of the summary report will be available at the Commission's website at www.sfgov.org/ethics/, or at the Ethics Commission office.

Summary of First Quarter 2007 Lobbyist Activity

1. Payments to Contract Lobbyists

Contract lobbyists reported receiving $1,513,964 in payments from clients for influencing local legislative or administrative action during the first quarter. The three lobbyists that received the highest amount of payments during the first quarter were: Barbary Coast Consulting, $338,495; HMS Associates, $308,750; and Platinum Advisers, $178,382.

2. Payments Made by Business and Organization and Expenditure Lobbyists

Business and organization and expenditure lobbyists reported spending a total of $56,204 during the first quarter to influence local legislative and administrative action. The business and organization and expenditure lobbyists that made the largest total payments in the first quarter were: Comcast Corporation, $21,129; Hotel Council of San Francisco, $11,000; and SF Apartment Association, $7,500.

3. Political Contributions

Political contributions made by lobbyists during the first quarter totaled $14,350. The lobbyists making the largest contributions during the first quarter were: SF Apartment Association, $7,500; McCarthy & Schwartz, $2,250; and GCA Strategies, Inc. $1,500.

To view tabulated data of lobbyist contributions, payments promised/received to/from lobbyists, click here.

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