GAMBLING: $511,036Rhode Island's two gambling centers spent most of the money for the industry: UTGR Inc, the parent company of Lincoln's Twin River gambling hall, spent $190,000, while Newport Grand spent $171,036. GTECH, the Providence-based gambling-systems company, did not file a complete final reports in February. It reported spending $25,000 a month on lobbyists Goldberg and Marc Crisafulli, but failed to report which months the money was paid. The Secretary of State's office is pursuing the information, says Barnett. For purposes of tallying industry-wide lobbying spending, the Phoenix estimated six months, the length of the legislative session, although many large corporations pay their lobbyists year-round.The key lobbying issue last year was whether to allow the casinos to open 24 hours a day and how to distribute the additional revenue. Newport Grand, represented by Boyle and Pawtucket lawyer Kevin Horan, lobbied on three bills related to expanded hours of operation. GTECH and Twin River merely reported that they lobbied on "gambling." Ultimately, the industry won a partial victory, getting permission to open 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays. A large chunk of the additional proceeds were given to local school districts. Governor Donald Carcieri vetoed the bill, but the legislature overrode him and the expanded hours became law.
BANKING & FINANCE: $426,256
Seventeen banks and financial services companies hired lobbyists in 2007, including Citizens Bank, the Credit Union Association of Rhode Island, and Citigroup Management Corporation, but the big spenders were the Rhode Island Bankers Association ($72,000), Fidelity Investments ($52,000), the National Reverse Lending Association ($51,282), Peachtree Settlement Funding ($45,000), and Bank of America ($40,000).
The Bankers Association and Bank of America were represented by a trio of Brown Rudnick LLP lobbyists — William Farrell, Faye Sanders, and Patrick Ross. Brown Rudnick lobbyists list bills they lobby on. Their reports indicate they spend most of their time opposing legislation that places additional legal requirements and costs on banks. They opposed bills requiring banks to cooperate with the federal government on immigration issues and to maintain foreclosed property. They objected to an increase in the minimum wage, a new consumer-contracts law, a resolution to Congress supporting limits on check-bouncing fees, and a requirement that they report the number of their employees who have health insurance. They supported repeal of the inheritance tax and establishment of specific criminal penalties for identity fraud.
Florida-headquartered Peachtree Settlement Funding paid Carolyn Murray of F/S Capitol Consulting LLC $45,000 to oppose one consumer measure designed to protect against losing large financial settlements due to deceptive business practices. The amended bill passed the legislature only to be vetoed by Governor Carcieri.
Other large financial companies used the weakness of the lobbying law to obscure their activities at the State House. Fidelity indicated its lobbying covered "taxation, state affairs and government, business and professions and financial services."
ENERGY: $386,082
Southern Union ($55,000), the American Petroleum Institute ($51,000), Constellation New Energy ($38,629), and National Grid ($30,750) spent the most money lobbying on energy issues.
Weakness in the reporting requirements leave an incomplete picture of the energy industry's activities. Southern Union, a gas company being held liable to clean up a toxic waste site in North Tiverton, reported that Goldberg lobbied on "Environment." Like National Grid, Constellation, which has natural gas pipelines in Rhode Island, reported its lobbyists focused on "Energy."
