Candidates Embrace $100 Gift Cap For Lobbyists

By: Greg Gullberg - Email

Posted: Mon 7:36 PM, Jun 18, 2012

- Valdosta, Ga. - June 18, 2012 -

It's a lobbyist's job to influence government officials, sometimes with lavish gifts, but how far is too far?

At times lobbyists have treated Georgia officials to overseas trips, coastal golf outings and four-star hotels. Now some potential lawmakers are considering limits on how much money lobbyists can spend on state officials.

Dozens of legislative candidates in next month's Primary Election are embracing a cap on lobbyist gifts. They want a gift to be limited to $100 per gift.

However, the number of gifts would still be unlimited. Theoretically a lobbyist could pay for every dinner for a state official for a full year and not exceed the cap so long as they are all no more that $99.99 each.

If the measure passes, it would impose a limit for the first time. But the cap would still be far more lenient than some near by states like Kentucky that has a $100 per year cap.

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