PIRG-Backed Bill: Exposing Big Money From Lobbyists

On August 2, a PIRG-backed lobby reform bill that could shed light on the often-hidden activities of lobbyists and their interactions with legislators passed Congress.

Under the new law, lobbyists will need to disclose their fundraising efforts on behalf of candidates. Increasingly, candidates rely on outside fundraisers, often paid lobbyists called “bundlers,” who quietly raise up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for candidates.

“This new law will help the public better identify the powerful interests who use fundraising to build access and influence,” said Democracy Advocate Gary Kalman.

This summer, NMPIRG’s citizen outreach staff talked to thousands of New Mexicans face-to-face about ethics reform, generating hundreds of phone calls and letters to New Mexico’s legislators.

We’re glad to see progress like this on ethics, but disappointed that Congress has not yet overhauled ineffective ethics enforcement. U.S. PIRG, the Federation of State PIRGs, has been working closely with a special ethics task force and House leadership to fight for changes that will hold members who break the rules accountable.