philk@wvgazette.com
Lobbyists spent less than $150,000 on legislators during the 2002regular session, according to disclosures filed with the state EthicsCommission, a drop compared to recent years, when expenditures havetopped $220,000.
Compilations by Ethics Commission staffers show that the 422registered lobbyists reported spending $146,587 during the session,primarily for receptions, lunches and dinners for lawmakers.
The bulk of the spending - $107,375 - was in the first 45 days ofthe 60-day session, when most of the receptions and dinners arescheduled.
Few receptions are scheduled in the last two weeks of a session,when the pace picks up and meetings and floor sessions often run intothe evening hours.
However, one of the more-expensive events took place on Feb. 20,the 46th day. The West Virginia Insurance Federation hosted areception and dinner at Berry Hills Country Club at a cost of $10,192- more than $78 for each attendee.
A total of 130 people attended the event, with 74 listed aslegislative or state government officials.
Also, the Committee for Policy Reform in Wheeling filed a grass-roots lobbying campaign report for last fall's special session onmedical malpractice insurance.
The committee reported spending $96,049 for a campaign calling forrestrictions on medical malpractice lawsuits.
Major expenses were $34,726 for television ad time, $17,600 forproduction costs for the TV spot, $15,142 for printing and mailingcosts, $4,064 for newspaper ads, and $16,294 for miscellaneous costs,including Web site design, buttons and photos.
The committee's executives and major funding came from the HealthPlan of the Upper Ohio Valley, Ohio Valley Medical Center, ReynoldsMemorial Hospital, Wheeling Hospital, Weirton Medical Center, EastOhio Regional Hospital and the Ohio County Medical Society.
Groups and individuals are supposed to file grass-rootsdisclosures for campaigns intended to encourage the public to contacttheir legislators or state officials on issues. Although thereporting threshold is $250 of spending in one month, or $500 overthree months, many high-profile campaigns have not filed disclosures.
One other grass-roots disclosure was from West Virginia WINS,which campaigned during the session for funding for a new baseballstadium for Charleston.
The group spent $3,555, including $3,000 for newspaper ads.
Contributors included Andy Paterno, former owner of the minorleague Charleston Alley Cats, who gave $500. Kanawha CountyCommissioner Kent Carper contributed $200, as did Rod Blackstone,former spokesman for Govs. Bob Wise and Cecil Underwood.
Delegate Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, gave $50. The favored proposedsite for the new ballpark is in Webster's 31st Delegate District.
To contact staff writer Phil Kabler, use e-mail or call 348-1220.
