Lobbying Disclosures Due Today
Today is the final day for lobbyists and organizations employing lobbyists to file their quarterly disclosure forms. The forms are due — they are all filed electronically — by 5:00 pm.
Most attention will be paid to the various companies that have received bailout funds. Already, some firms have reported lobbying on behalf of the Big Three automakers and banks receiving government funds.
While none of the automakers had filed their individual company lobbying reports as of Sunday evening, outside firms for the struggling Big Three automakers have reported billing nearly $550,000 in the first quarter of 2009 on federal lobbying.
…
Morgan Stanley, which has said it would like to repay the $10 billion it received in government loans as soon as possible, reported spending $540,000 on federal lobbying in the first quarter, a figure which includes internal lobbying costs and monies paid to its outside consultants.
…
Goldman Sachs spent $265,000 on outside consultants, having on retainer the Gephardt Group, the Duberstein Group and RR&G, among others, according to Senate lobbying reports.
Smith-Free Group and Quadripoint Strategies billed Bank of America $90,000 during the first quarter of 2009.
Citigroup paid its outside lobbying team of Capitol Hill Strategies and Ernst & Young $120,000 during the first quarter.
You can track the incoming reports at the House or Senate disclosure Web site. I’m sure there will be many stories to come out soon.