Group urges reforms to curb influence of lobbyists

New Mexico Ethics Watch report is first comprehensive look at issue in seven years

A nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life in New Mexico is recommending a series of reforms to reduce what it describes as the enormous influence that lobbyists have over lawmakers.

“If our laws went [further] … not only would we gain more transparency and shed light on the influence exerted by lobbyists, we would have more trust in the Legislature as an institution,” according to a new report by New Mexico Ethics Watch.

Among the organization’s recommendations:

◆ Require lobbyists to disclose which pieces of legislation they are

“

If the fact that some of the top lobbyists in Santa Fe are former legislators seems a little incestuous, this is only part of the story. A number of lobbyists are related to current legislators, by marriage and by blood.” New Mexico Ethics Watch report

working on when making campaign contributions and expenditures, such as paying for lawmakers’ meals or entertainment.

◆ Impose a two-year moratorium on departing lawmakers before they can be compensated as a lobbyist. A former lawmaker’s inside knowledge, as well as their relationships with former colleagues, gives them an “outsized influence” at the Roundhouse, the report says.

There are at least 34 former New Mexico legislators registered as lobbyists, many of them former leaders. “If the fact that some of the top lobbyists in Santa Fe are former legislators seems a little incestuous, this is only part of the story,” the report states. “A number of lobbyists are related to current legislators, by marriage and by blood.”

◆ Require lobbyists to disclose how much money they receive for lobbying, which would “shine some light” on how much money the businesses they represent are spending to get their priorities enacted into law. As of 2015, according to the report, 26 states required lobbyists to report how much they were paid to influence public bodies.

◆ Appropriate $50,000 to pay for lawmakers’ meals. When lawmakers don’t have time for a meal break, a lobbyist may volunteer or be asked to buy them food. At a minimum, the report states, this long-standing practice creates a public perception of a quid pro quo.

◆ Pay legislators a fair salary. New Mexico is one of the few states in the nation that has a citizen Legislature in which lawmakers serve without a regthe ular salary and staff. With short sessions and full agendas, the report states, legislators seeking help often turn to lobbyists who are hired to influence them.

The 55-page report by New Mexico Ethics Watch examined the connection between legislation and lobbying during the 2019 legislative session in four areas: cannabis, firearms, film and tobacco-related products. It found a correlation between contributions and votes, as well as “the contributing power and the hold that lobbyists in four specific areas had on legislation during the 2019 session.”

The report was designed to take a “fresh look at lobbying and the New Mexico Legislature,” noting it has been seven years since a comprehensive report on lobbying in New Mexico was last published.

“We have found both similarities and differences in how lobbyists operated then versus how they operate now,” the report states.

“The similarities? Lobbyists are still doling out large amounts of cash to entertain and elect legislators, with some of the same lobbyists still at the top of the lists in terms of contributions, expenses, and numbers of clients,” the report says. “Perennially powerful lobbyists still know how to expertly play the inside game, catering to legislators, using their access to legislators, and leveraging the timing of meetings and last-minute amendments to their advantage.”