Introduction to Lobbying

1. Introduction to Lobbying Inas A.Hamid

2. Lobbying is: The act of influencing or attempting to influencethe thinking of legislators or other public officials to createlegislation or conduct an activity that will help a particular organization.

3. Lobbyists are: People who do lobbying are called lobbyists. They could be any of the following: A person who receives compensation or reimbursement from another person, group, or entity to lobby. A person who lobbies as a regular and usual part of employment, whether or not any compensation in addition to regular salary and benefits is received. A consultant to the state or their instrumentalities, in any manner employed to influence legislation or regulation. An employee, a paid consultant, or a member of the staff of a lobbyist, who regularly communicates with members of a legislative body regarding pending legislation and other matters while the legislative body is in session.

4.  Lobbying does not include: Interagency communications between state agency employees. Communications between a member of the public and any state officer, except for a member of the legislature, or an employee of the legislature. Oral questions or comments made by a person to a state officer or employee regarding a proposed rule and made in public at a meeting or workshop that is open to the public and that is sponsored by a state agency, board, commission, council or office. A publisher, owner or an employee of the press, radio or television while disseminating news or editorial comment to the general public in the ordinary course of business;

5. An individual representing himself or another person before the legislature or a state agency other than for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action. A member of an advisory board acting within the scope of his appointment. A senator or representative in the parliament within the scope of his appointment.

6. History of Lobbying Although some have noted it’s influence on the earliest political forums in Greece and Rome, what we know as modern lobbying began in the US. Although there is some disagreement, many believe the term "lobbyist" originated at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC, where it was used by Ulysses S. Grant to describe those frequenting the hotel's lobby in order to gain access to the President often found there, enjoying a cigar and brandy. Records suggest that organised lobbying of American politicians goes back at least as far as the late 18th Century, getting involved in the earliest days of Congress. As early as 1792, just three years after the Constitution was adopted, William Hull was hired by the Virginia veterans of the Continental army to lobby for additional compensation for their war services. Hull wrote to other veterans' groups, recommending that they have their "agent or agents" cooperate with him during the next session to pass a compensation bill. In 1795, a Philadelphia newspaper described the way lobbyists waited outside Congress Hall to "give a hint to a Member, teaze or advise as may best suit.

7. lobbying in these early stages was reviled by both press and the public as a disreputable industry. Many saw these individuals as corrupting Congress and subverting democracy. There is little doubt that early lobbying methods were rather less legitimate than those used today. In 1850, one Samuel Colt gave away a free pistol to the twelve-year old son of a representative as a mild encouragement to sign a patent bill. Some of the lobbying techniques of the age were not unlike those found in the US today, with speeches supplied, analyses prepared, opposition arguments suggested, personal contacts with key members, appearances-before committees, and the generation of grassroots campaigns. By the beginning of the twentieth Century, Washington lobbying bore a close similarity to that found today. The growth of powerful new media such as the radio and telegraph revolutionized grassroots campaigning, and collective action became increasingly popular.

8. The first attempt to regulate lobbying came in 1928 where the Senate enacted a bill requiring lobbyists to register with the secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House. However, the House of Representatives blocked the idea, and despite notable scandals no further legislative action on lobbying was proposed until after the Second World War. Eighteen years after the Senate’s original attempt, Congress adopted the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act. This act defined a lobbyist as any person "who by himself, or through any agent or employee or other persons in any manner, directly or indirectly, collects, or receives money or any other thing of value to be used principally . . . to influence, directly or indirectly, the passage or defeat of any legislation by the Congress of the United States.

9. Anyone meeting this description was required to register name, address, salary, and expenses with the secretary of the Senate and the clerk of the House, and to file quarterly reports on funds received or spent, "to whom and for what purpose" those funds were paid, "the names of newspapers and magazines in which the lobbyist 'caused to be published' articles or editorials," and the proposed legislation the lobbyist was employed to support or oppose. Lobbyists were also required to keep detailed accounts of all contributions of five hundred dollars or more made to members of Congress. Criminal penalties were assigned for any violation of this act.