Bill Would Bar Political Consultants from Lobbying

State Senator David Valesky (D-Oneida), a member of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), has introduced legislation that would prohibit political consultants from lobbying, and lobbyists from engaging in political consulting. The three other members of the IDC are co-sponsors of the bill.

The bill defines political consultants to mean those who, for compensation, manage and operate political campaigns for public officials and candidates, raise funds to elect such officials, and provide media services or advice for such campaigns. It provides an exception for those who provide legal work to related to getting on the ballot, or other issues under the Election Law. It does not impose any penalties for violating the law. Finally, the bill requires additional reporting (through the existing campaign finance provisions of the Election Law) of persons and entities that provided political consulting services, and the fair market value of such services.

In support of the bill, he writes of:

“…the political consultant who helps to elect or finance the election of a state government official and then is paid to lobby the same state government official….This situation can lead to a blurring of functions and roles of the political consultant/lobbyist who is instrumental in electing such state government official and then expects a certain enhanced sympathy and sensitivity from the same official to advance the interests of the lobbyists’ client or client list.”

Read Senator Valesky’s press release on the bill.

Read a Daily News article about the bill, and an earlier article about the “growing trend” of political consultants working to elect lawmakers, and then lobbying them.