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Lobby Reports Expected To Show $750+ Million in First Quarter Lobbying

Bruce Josten, chief lobbyist   Thomas J. Donohue, President & CEO

Chamber of Commerce of the U.S..

We anticipate the 2013 first quarter lobbying expenditures to be above $750 million. Lobbying reports are due by 4/22 and many are already being filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate.

We will be listing the top spending organizations, companies and associations. In the fourth quarter of 2012 the Chamber of Commerce of the U.S. was the top spender at $29.5 million, and its Institute for Legal Reform spending $10.9 million. The National Assn. of Realtors spent $15.4 million. See Lobby Money By Report and top rankings.

We will also list the charts of the top lobby firms. In the fourth quarter of 2012, the largest firm reporting federal lobbying receipts was Patton Boggs LLP. They received $8,375,000 from 228 clients. See Top Lobbying Entities. Many lobby firms have a particular focus or area of interest and line up multiple clients in that same area. In some cases the clients have coordinated their efforts, in other cases, clients may not know the other clients paying for work on the same topic.

For example, the lobby firm East End Group likes the healthcare area and has already reported 2013 first quarter receipts from multiple clients in that area. Amgen Inc. paid $60,000; GlaxcoSmithKline paid $60,000; Biotechnology Industry Organization paid $51,000; AstraZeneca paid $45,000; Pfenex Inc. paid $45,000; Merck & Co. Inc. paid $45,000; Bavarian Nordic Inc. paid $45,000; Achagen Inc. paid $45,000; Alere Inc. paid $45,000; EMD Serono Inc. paid $30,000.

Markley and Company has a focus on Alaskan energy clients. In the first quarter of 2012 Alaska Electric Light & Power paid them $40,000; Alaska Power paid $40,000; Alaska Village Electric Company paid $30,000; Kotzebue Electric Assn. paid $10,000; the City & Borough of Sitka paid less than $5,000; the City of Hoonah paid $less than $5,000..

Capitol Solutions
 
reported
 receiving $280,000 in the first quarter from the Wireless Broadband Coalition and $80,000 from the CTIA – The Wireless Association. Both listed the same specific lobbying issues.

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