Fifteen special interest groups including casino operators, drug firms and unions for teachers and public employees spent more than $1 billion during the last decade trying to influence California public officials and voters, the state’s watchdog agency reported today.
The money went for lobbying, campaign contributions to state politicians and ballot measure campaigns to get voters to advance the groups’ agendas, according to the report by the state Fair Political Practices Commission.
“This tsunami of special interest spending drowns out the voices of average voters, and intimidates political opponents and elected officials alike,” said Commission Chairman Ross Johnson, a former state senator.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council also tops the Badger State’s lobbying expenditures.
It’s very sad that the Unions that were intended to make this country “better” for the working class has now become a magnet for corruption and political prositution for lobbyists. The “Unions” no longer represent the employee’s best interests and cost the average tax payer huge sums of money. We are so hard at work trying to pass laws right now that don’t give any real benefit to the US citizen because we have an incompetent government. We should add passing anti-lobbying laws and maybe that would get the lobbyists focused on protecting themselves that they would be detracted from lobbying for all other causes. It is time to get our government back (and I am not talking about tea parties)!