Your assumption that lobbying is bad and that these paid hacks are bad for the system is fundamentally wrong.

That’s not my assumption, Dave — it’s yours. I never stated or implied any such thing. Richmond Sunlight was initially designed and tested with extensive help from several dear friends who are professional lobbyists in Richmond. Lobbyists provide some of the most useful information of all Richmond Sunlight participants, as I recently wrote on my own blog.

As far as having them diclose more…what else do you need to know?

As I wrote in the blog entry: “They don’t have to say who they’re lobbying or cite a single bill that they’re concerned with.” Thus, providing that information is what else I — and many others — need to know.

As far as having them diclose more…what else do you need to know? We all have our bias or agenda. That’s what being an American is all about.

It is better to look at the Expenditure Reports lobbyists are required to file each year. Those reports are due mid-year and are supposed to let the Commonwealth know about every dollar you spent on lobbying during the prior year. These reports contain more detail including how much money they dropped on gifts, meals, and entertainment. However, the level of detail varies widely. Some lobbysits report every bill they worked on and assign every penny of their expenses to specific items. Others stick with vague statements and even more vague expense reporting.

I would agree that lobbyist reports need provide more detailed information. I hope you find this helpful.