The Joint Commission on Public Ethics today announced agreements with 11 lobbying clients settling allegations they failed to file appropriate disclosure documents as required by the State's Lobbying Act. The 11 settlements provide for more than $20,000 in fines.
Individuals or entities that have or reasonably anticipate spending in excess of $5,000 lobbying in the state during the year, and which retain, employ or designate a lobbyist, must file publicly accessible semi-annual disclosure reports with the Joint Commission every January and July. Such client reports include information such as the identities of lobbyists representing them, specific entities and issued lobbied, and itemized costs for those lobbying activities. Under the State's Lobbying Act, a knowing and willful failure to file a client semi-annual report carries a maximum potential fine of $25,000, or three times the lobbying costs that were supposed to be disclosed in that filing.
"A key purpose of the Joint Commission is to ensure compliance with the Lobbying Act which provides the public with transparency about the lobbyists and clients who are trying to influence government's decision-making process," said Commission Executive Director Ellen Biben. "We will continue to vigorously enforce compliance with the law."
The settlements, available below, were each based on the particular circumstances of the specific case.
They include:
- Comverge, Inc., paid $4,000 for failing to file client semi-annual reports that were due July 2010 and January 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statements have since been filed.
- Atlantis Health Plan paid $3,000 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in January 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- 360 Brooklyn Investors, LLC, paid $2,000 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in July 2010, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- Titan Outdoor, LLC, paid $2,500 for failing to file client semi-annual reports that were due July 2010, January 2011 and July 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statements have since been filed.
- Liquid Asphalt distributors Association, Inc., paid $500 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in January 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- The Leser Group paid $2,500 for failing to file client semi-annual reports that were due in January and July of 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statements have since been filed.
- Govdelivery, Inc., paid $2,500 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in July 2010, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- Redflex Traffic Systems. Inc., paid $1,500 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in July 2010, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- O'Connor Capital Partners paid $2,500 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in July 2010, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- McCarton Foundation paid $1,000 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in January 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
- NYS Coalition Against Domestic Violence paid $1,500 for failing to file their client semi-annual report that was due in January 2011, even after being warned by the Commission of their failure to file. The required disclosure statement has since been filed.
Client semi-annual reports as well as lobbyists' registrations and requisite bimonthly reports are all available for public inspection and can be found online at the Commission's web site under Public Data.
Contact Communications and Public Information Office
The Communications and Public Information Office is the point of contact for the public and members of the press with questions about the Commission's mission and to request access to records such as the financial disclosure statements filed by state officials and employees, the statewide elected officials, members of the Legislature and legislative employees.
Contact us by phone:
Contact us by email:
Mailing Address:
New York State
Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government
540 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207