SF Ethics Commission

 Ethics Commission >> Lobbyist Regulation

Q105 Summary

Summary of Earnings and Activity of Registered Lobbyists

First Quarter 2005

 

 

 

The Regulation of Lobbyists Ordinance (“Ordinance”), San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code Article II, Chapter 1, Sections 2.100 - 2.155, requires individuals and entities that qualify as lobbyists to register with the Ethics Commission and file quarterly activity reports.  Forty-three lobbyists filed reports with the City and County of San Francisco on April 15, 2005, detailing their lobbyist activity during the First Quarter of 2005 (January 1 – March 30).  The Ethics Commission has compiled this information in its First Quarter 2005 Summary of Earnings and Activity of Lobbyists Registered with the City.

 

Because of a current shortage of staff due to budgetary constraints, this First quarter report of lobbyist activity does not list City officers contacted and specific positions advocated.  Individual lobbyist activity reports containing this information are available from the Ethics Commission office at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

 

The Ordinance provides that there are three kinds of lobbyists: contract lobbyists, business and organization lobbyists, and expenditure lobbyists. 

 

Contract lobbyists are individuals or entities that are hired to influence local legislative or administrative action on another’s behalf.  Contract lobbyists must register with the Ethics Commission when they earn $3,200 or more in any consecutive three months in exchange for lobbying services OR when they have at least 25 separate contacts with City officers in any two consecutive months for the purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action.  Clients and employees of contract lobbyists are not themselves contract lobbyists and are not subject to the registration and reporting requirements of the Lobbyist Ordinance.

 

Business and organization lobbyists are entities that lobby on their own behalf.  Business and organization lobbyists may include for-profit and non-profit corporations and organizations, associations, and unions.  An entity qualifies as a business and organization lobbyist if the entity pays employees or members any amount to lobby on its behalf AND the employees or members have at least 25 separate contacts with City officers, within a two-month period, for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action.  Individual employees and members of business and organization lobbyists do not themselves qualify as lobbyists and are not subject to the registration and reporting requirements of the Lobbyist Ordinance.

 

Expenditure lobbyists are entities which spend, directly or indirectly, more than $3,200 within any three consecutive months to influence local legislative or administrative action.  Payments made to contract lobbyists and other paid advocates do not count toward the $3,200 threshold, nor do dues payments, donations, and other payments to any business and organization lobbyist or expenditure lobbyist.

 

 

Each lobbyist must file with the Ethics Commission quarterly reports containing information about payments made or received in order to influence local legislative or administrative action, actions each lobbyist sought to influence, activity expenses incurred, political contributions of $100 or more made or delivered by the filer or made by a client at the behest of a filer to a City officer, candidate or committee, City contracts awarded, payments made in exchange for campaign consulting services, and the names of each City officer employed or retained by the filer or by a client of the filer.

 

City Officers include: elected officials, the Controller, the City Administrator, department heads, members of City boards and commissions, members of the Board of Education, members of the Governing Board of the Community College District, members of the Housing Authority, members of the Redevelopment Agency, members of the Transportation Authority, the Superintendent of Schools, the Clerk of the Municipal Court and the Secretary and Jury Commissioner of the Superior Court.

 

Local legislative or administrative action includes, but is not limited to, the drafting, introduction, consideration, modification, enactment, defeat, approval, veto, granting or denial by any officer of the City and County of any resolution, motion, appeal, application, petition, nomination, ordinance, amendment, approval, referral, permit, license or entitlement to use.

 

 

Table 1:  All Reported Activity

Table 1 provides a summary of all reported activity by lobbyists (hereinafter “filers”) for the first quarter of 2005.  The table summarizes payments promised to and received by contract lobbyists in exchange for lobbyist services, payments made by business and organization and expenditure lobbyists to influence local legislative and administrative action, political contributions made, delivered or arranged by a filer or made by a client at a filer’s behest, and activity expenses incurred by filers.  Filers are listed in alphabetical order, and all amounts (for Table 1 and for all tables) have been rounded to the nearest dollar.  The total promised payments reported by contract lobbyists was $939,360.  The total received payments reported by contract lobbyists were $1,148,341.  The total reported payments made by business and organization and expenditure lobbyists were $172,179.   

 

Table 2:  Political Contributions of $100 or More

Filers must report the total amount of political contributions made, delivered or arranged by the filer, or made by a client at the behest of the filer during the quarter.  Filers must itemize contributions equaling $100 or more.  Filers must report contributions made to the following: a City officer; a candidate for City office; a committee controlled by a City officer or candidate for City office; a committee primarily formed to support or oppose a City officer or candidate for City office; a committee primarily formed to support or oppose a local ballot measure whether or not the committee is controlled by a City officer or candidate for City office.  Table 2 lists all political contributions of $100 or more made by filers during the first quarter. The total reported political contributions were $27,150.

 

Table 3: Total Political Contributions

Table 3 lists (in descending order by lobbyists’ total contributions) all political contributions of any amount made by filers during the first quarter. 

 

Table 4: Activity Expenses

All filers must report activity expenses.  An activity expense is any expense incurred or payment made by a lobbyist (or others specified in the Ordinance) which benefits a City officer, a candidate for City office, a family member thereof (including domestic partners), or aides to members of the Board of Supervisors.  Activity expenses include gifts, honoraria, consulting fees, salaries, and any other form of economic compensation totaling more than $30 in value in a consecutive three-month period. 

 

Table 4 lists activity expenses reported by filers, the total of which includes salaries paid to employees who also serve as City officers.  The table lists the filer, salaries paid, the date of the activity expense, the name and official title or position of each beneficiary of the expense and a description of the benefit conferred.  The table also includes the total cost of the activity, the portion of the total cost of the activity which represents the value of the benefit conferred on each beneficiary and the name of the payee of the expense if it is different from that of the beneficiary.  The total reported amount of activity expenses during the first quarter was more than $22,579, of which more than $20,000 was attributed to salaries.

 

 

Table 5: Gift Tickets and Admissions

Filers are required to report gift tickets and gift admissions to political fund-raisers and events sponsored by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations given to City officers.  Table 5 shows each reported gift ticket and/or admission given to a City officer.  The table gives the date and description of the political or charitable event and the name and official title of the beneficiary of the gift ticket and/or admission.  Three filers reported gift tickets and/or admissions given to City officers or employees during the quarter.

 

Table 6: City Contracts Awarded

Filers must report certain City contracts they were awarded during the reporting period.  Table 6 lists the type of contract awarded (rendition of personal services; furnishing of any material, supplies or equipment to or from the City; or sale or lease of land or buildings to or by the City, or financing of the same), the date the contract was approved, the name of the City officer and Department that approved the contract, and the subject matter of the contract.  No filers reported being awarded a City contract during the quarter.

 

Table 7: Employment of City Officers or Employees

Filers must report the names of City officers or employees who have been employed or retained by the filer at any time during the reporting period.  This table lists the name and position of the City officer and the services provided by the City officer to the filer.  Filers must also report whether a City officer or employee has been employed or retained by a client of the filer at the behest of the filer at any time during the reporting period.  Filers in this case must list the name of the client and that of the City officer.  Two filers reported employing City officers or employees during the quarter.

 

Table 8: Payments for Campaign Consulting Services

Filers must report the total payments received from City officers during the reporting period in exchange for providing campaign consulting services (as defined in S.F. Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code Article I, Chapter 5, Section 1.505).  Such payments must be reported only if the filer contacted the officer within one year of the date of payment.  One filer reported receiving payments for campaign consulting services during the quarter.

 

 

 

Table 1 – All Reported Activity

 

Lobbyist Organization	Payments Promised By Clients	Payments Received From Clients	Activity Expenses	Political Contributions	Payments Made To Influence Local Action
Barbary Coast Consulting	56,123	56,123	0	0	0
Barnes, Mosher, Whitehurst, Lauter & Partners	46,000	115,000	0	0	0
BergDavis Public Affairs	0	0	0	0	0
F. Joseph Butler, AIA	4,138	5,196	0	0	0
California Independent Grocers Association	0	0	0	0	0
California Urban Issues Project	0	0	0	0	0
Carolyn Carpenti & Company	0	24,000	0	0	0
CC California, Inc.	0	0	0	0	0
Citizens to Save the Waterfront	0	0	0	0	0
Clear Channel Outdoor	0	0	0	0	235
Coalition for Better Housing	0	0	0	0	0
Comcast Corporation*	0	0	10,000	1,000	129,202
Committee on Jobs	0	0	0	0	10,571
Jack Davis	0	30,000	0	0	0
Dewey Square Group	60,000	80,000	0	0	0
GCA Strategies, Inc.	0	94,606	0	1,500	0
Gladstones & Associates	32,765	91,843	0	250	0
Golden Gate Restaurant Association	0	0	0	1,000	11,287
Jon Golinger	5,000	5,436	0	0	0
HMS Associates	337,500	309,500	0	1,500	0
Hotel Council of San Francisco*	0	0	10,000	500	501
Kay & Merkle	563	563	0	500	0
Keil & Connolly	0	0	0	0	0
LaPointe & Associates	56,550	44,550	0	0	0
McCarthy & Schwartz	0	30,044	0	16,950	0
Morrison & Foerster	89,427	41,333	0	0	0
Moscone, Emblidge & Quadra	0	0	0	1,000	0
Pacific Gas and Electric	0	0	15	0	4,900
Pacific Telesis & Subsidiaries	0	0	2,500	0	558
Platinum Advisors, LLC.	28,567	22,242	0	0	0
David Prowler	19,279	19,279	0	0	0
RCN Telecom Services of California	0	0	0	0	105
Reputation	24,000	16,805	0	0	0
Reuben & Junius, LLP	8,236	8,236	0	1,750	0
William G. Rutland Jr. LLC	113,000	76,612	0	0	0
SF Apartment Association	0	0	0	0	6,000
SF Association of Realtors	0	0	0	300	960
SF Baseball Associates	0	0	0	500	7,595
SF Chamber of Commerce	0	0	0	0	265
Small Property Owners of San Francisco	0	0	0	0	0
Solem & Associates	56,413	65,117	64	400	0
Steefel, Levitt & Weiss	1,800	0	0	0	0
TDSC	0	0	0	0	0
Jane Winslow Consulting	0	11,856	0	0	0
TOTAL	939,360	1,148,341	22,579	27,150	172,179
*Filer incurred more than $10,000 in activity expenses for employee salaries

 

Table 2 – Political Contributions of $100 or more made by lobbyists

(Listed alphabetically by committee or candidate’s last name)

 

Contributions to City Officers/Candidates for City Office
Committee Name	Lobbyist Name	Amount
Cisneros for Treasurer	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer made the contribution - Robert J. McCarthy, Inc. )	$500
Sean Elsbernd	Hotel Council of San Francisco (Filer delivered the contribution - Contribution was made by members of the Hotel Council)	$250
	Total:	$250
Kamala Harris, San Francisco City Attorney	Gladstones & Associates (Filer made the contribution)	$250
	Solem & Associates (Filer made the contribution (Personal contribution made by Andrew Gregg, employee)	$150
	Total:	$400
David Heller	Hotel Council of San Francisco (Filer delivered the contribution - Contribution was made by members of the Hotel Council)	$250
	Total:	$250
Dennis Herrera for City Attorney 2005	Golden Gate Restaurant Association (Filer made the contribution - GGRA PAC)	$500
	GCA Strategies, Inc. (Filer made the contribution)	$500
	Kay & Merkle	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer made the conribution -  Robert J. McCarthy (personal))	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contribution at the behest of the filer - City Park)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Law Office of Martin Eber, LLP)	$250
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Alan Silver)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Claudine Cheng)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Gladstones & Associates)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Steve Gruel)	$200
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Stephen and Lauretta Tacchini)	$250
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Joseph Phair)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Robert Herr)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Dean Rider)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Mike Kasolas)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Thomas Escher)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Jean Strunsky)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by GCA Strategies)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Victor G. Makras, Inc.)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Heller Manus Architects)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contribution at the behest of the filer - Dan and Mariel Kingsley)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Victor and Farah Makras)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Lester Schwartz)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contirubution at the behest of the filer - Theodore Brown & Partners, Inc. )	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Burke Strunsky)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Michael Strunsky)	$500

Table 2 – Political Contributions of $100 or more made by lobbyists (continued)

 

Committee Name	Lobbyist Name	Amount
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by David Addington)	$500
	San Francisco Baseball Associates L.P. (Filer made the contribution)	$500
	Solem & Associates (Filer made the contribution)	$250
	Total:	$13,450
Bill Lee (City Administrator) 10 Yr Anniv. Celebration	Reuben & Junius (Filer made the contribution)	$1,000
	Total:	$1,000
Fiona Ma for Assembly 2006	Comcast Corporation (Filer made the contribution)	$1,000
	GCA Strategies, Inc. (Filer made the contribution)	$500
	Golden Gate Restaurant Association (Filer made the contribution - GGRA PAC)	$250
	HMS Associates (Filer made the contribution)	$1,000
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer made the contribution -  Robert J. McCarthy, Inc. )	$500
	San Francisco Association of Realtors (Filer made the contribution)	$300
	Total:	$3,550
Fiona Ma for Supervisor	Reuben & Junius, LLP (Filer served as an agent or intermediary in making the contribution - Jared J. Eigerman)	$250
	Total:	$250
Re-Elect Supervisor Jake McGoldrick	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Ann Moller Caen)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contribution at the behest of the filer - Theodore Brown & Partners, Inc. )	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Gladstone & Associates)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Steve Gruel)	$200
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contribution at the behest of the filer - Dan Kingsley)	$250
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contribution at the behest of the filer - Tom Hart)	$250
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Pacific Park Management)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by NovelAct)	$250
	McCarthy & Schwartz (A client made the contribution at the behest of the filer - Pacific Resources)	$100
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Pillsbury Winthrop)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Bob Varni)	$200
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer arranged for contribution by Robert Friese)	$500
	Total:	$4,250
Newsom for Mayor	Comcast Corporation (Filer made the contribution) CONTRIBUTION RETURNED	$0
	Total:	$0
Antonio Villaraigosa for Mayor	Moscone, Emblidge & Quadra, LLP (Filer made the contribution)	$1,000
	Total:	$1,000
Total Contributions Of $100 Or More To City Officers/Candidates:		$24,900

Table 2 – Political Contributions of $100 or more made by lobbyists (continued)

 

Contributions To Committees Supporting/Opposing Local Ballot Measures
Committee Name	Lobbyist Name	Amount
Yes on I-- More Jobs for San Franciscans Committee	GCA Strategies, Inc. (Filer made the contribution)	$500
Committee Name	Lobbyist Name	Amount
	Golden Gate Restaurant Association (Filer made the contribution - GGRA PAC)	$250
	HMS Associates (Filer made the contribution)	$500
	McCarthy & Schwartz (Filer made the contribution -  Robert J. McCarthy, Inc. )	$500
	Reuben & Junius, LLP (Filer made the contribution)	$500
	Total:	$2,250
Total Contributions Of $100 Or More To Committees		$2,250
Grand Total: Contributions Of $100 Or More Made By Lobbyists During First Quarter 2005		$27,150

 

Table 3 – Total Contributions by Lobbyists

(includes contributions of less than $100)

 

 

Table 4 – Activity Expenses

 

LOBBYIST	DATE	BENEFICIARY	BENEFIT	PAYEE	AMOUNT SPENT ON BENEFICIARY	TOTAL COST OF ACTIVITY	TOTAL ACTIVITY EXPENSES
Comcast Corporation	01/01/05-03/31/05	Linda Crayton, Airport Commissioner	Salary	n/a	more than $10,000	more than $10,000	more than $10,000
Hotel Council of San Francisco	01/01/05-03/31/05	Patricia Breslin, Taxi Commissioner	Salary	n/a	more than $10,000	more than $10,000	more than $10,000
Pacific Gas & Electric Co.	unknown	Philip A. Ginsberg, Director, SF Human Resources Dept.	Breakfast	Citizen Cake	$5	$15	$15
Pacific Telesis Group & Subsidiaries	03/27/05	Chris Cunnie, Executive Director, Emergency Communication Dept.	Lunch	SF Chamber of Commerce City Beat Luncheon	$60	$2,500	$2,500
	03/27/05	Ephraim Hirsch, Building Inspection Commission	Lunch	SF Chamber of Commerce City Beat Luncheon	$60	$2,500	$2,500
	03/27/05	Jing Xu Lee, Commissioner, Commission of the Status of Women	Lunch	SF Chamber of Commerce City Beat Luncheon	$60	$2,500	$2,500
	03/27/05	Sue Lee, Commissioner, Planning Commission	Lunch	SF Chamber of Commerce City Beat Luncheon	$60	$2,500	$2,500
						Total:	$2,500
Solem & Associates	02/01/05	Peter Mezey, Board Member of Municipal Transportation Agency	Breakfast	Ella's Rest.	$13	$64	$64
	02/01/05	Dan Sider, City Planner	Lunch	FRJTZ Rest.	$19	$64	$64
						Total:	$32
TOTAL ACTIVITY EXPENSES BENEFITING CITY OFFICERS DURING FIRST QUARTER 2005:							MORE THAN $22,579

 

Table 5
Gift Tickets and Admissions
Lobbyist	Date	Event	Beneficiary
Comcast Corp.	2/23/2005	Chinese American Voter Education Committee Dinner	William Lee, Chief Administative Officer
Pacific Gas and Electric Co.	2/12/2005	Equality California Institute Anniversary Gala Dinner	Laura Spanjian, Project Director, SF PUC
Pacific Telesis Group	1/26/2005	San Francisco Ballet Fundraiser	Devan Duffy, Supervisor
Pacific Telesis Group	1/26/2005	San Francisco Ballet Fundraiser	Gerardo Sandoval, Supervisor

 

 

Table 6
City Contracts Awarded
Lobbyist	Date Awarded	Type of Contract Awarded	City Officer/Department Approving Contract
		None This Period

 

Table 7
Employment of City Officers or Employees
Lobbyist		Name of City Officer Employed	Services Provided for Filer
Comcast Corp.		Linda Crayton, San Francisco Airport Commissioner	Director of Governmental Affairs
Hotel Council of San Francisco		Patricia Breslin, Taxi Commissioner

 

Table 8
Payments for Campaign Consulting Services
Lobbyist		Name of City Officer From Whom Payment Received	Amount/Date of Payment & Services Provided
Jack Davis		Mayor Gavin Newsom	$2,655 / 03-31-05 for 2003 Election Services