LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) — New numbers show that Lobbyists in Lansing last year spent a $39.4 million trying to influence lawmakers last year, according to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
It’s the second highest since they began keeping the statistics on the 1,491 interest groups and businesses registered to do lobbying at the Secretary of State’s Bureau of Elections.
One of the things lobbyists are permitted to do is to take lawmakers out for meals, and those numbers are also recorded.
First on the list was Rep. Lee Chatfield of Levering. A close second on the list was Brandt Iden of Oshtemo, who ran up restaurant tabs of $3,570 in food and drink while being plied by special interest groups.
Also in the top five, Jim Lilly, Senate Leader Arlan Meekhof and Jim Stamas.
Of the 148 state lawmakers, only 30 ran up meal tabs of more than $1000 with lobbyists.
