Beyond the Headlines: Lobbyists over legislators

Since I’ve been a member of the House of Representatives in Augusta, I’ve railed against what I’ve seen as blatant attempts by lobbyists and special interest groups to bribe legislators and influence policy decision-making. It’s an ongoing fight. While sometimes I feel like it’s a losing battle, there are glimmers of hope that we can break through, like the passing of PAC and campaign finance reform this past session.

But something I witnessed this year that really bothered me was the amount of preferential treatment lobbyists had over elected officials. While I don’t consider myself any more important than any other resident in the state, I do place legislators on a higher pedestal than lobbyists. I know they are just doing their jobs, but I really dislike what they stand for – representing a corporation for the highest bidder without regard for its impact on others.

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