The Michigan Campaign Finance Network has released a list of Michigan’s top 200 lobbyists in 2007. The organization found that Lansing lobbyists spent a total of $32,105,151 or eight percent more than in 2006. While the number is quite high, it is possibly incomplete. According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network:
“Lobbyists are not required to report travel and lodging expenditures that are less than $700, or gift or entertainment expenditures that are less than $53. There is no requirement to report food expenditures until they exceed $53 in a month for a lobbyable official or $350 in a calendar year for a lobbyable official.”
The twenty highest spending lobbyists:
| Rank | Lobbyist Name or Organization | 2007 | 2006 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Governmental Consultant Services | 1,446,002 | 1,308,435 | 11% |
| 2 | James H. Karoub Associates | 991,045 | 985,129 | 1% |
| 3 | MI Education Assn. | 626,536 | 852,000 | -26% |
| 4 | Public Affairs Associates Inc. | 607,278 | 580,804 | 5% |
| 5 | Wiener Assoc. | 542,282 | 667,144 | -19% |
| 6 | Muchmore Harrington Smalley & Assoc. | 496,444 | 612,077 | -19% |
| 7 | MI Health & Hospital Assoc. | 458,877 | 422,375 | 9% |
| 8 | MyWireless.Org | 452,026 | n/a | n/a |
| 9 | Kelley Cawthorne | 437,121 | 249,961 | 75% |
| 10 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield | 412,004 | 335,591 | 23% |
| 11 | Natl. Federation of Independent Business | 320,162 | 329,371 | -3% |
| 12 | Venuto & Assoc. | 311,581 | 57,874 | 438% |
| 13 | Kheder Davis & Associates Inc. | 309,784 | 251,995 | 23% |
| 14 | Consumers Energy Co. | 301,283 | 199,065 | 51% |
| 15 | Fraser Consulting LLC | 293,537 | 318,993 | -8% |
| 16 | AARP | 279,427 | 278,987 | 0% |
| 17 | Knight Consulting | 253,558 | 228,329 | 11% |
| 18 | Cusmano Kandler & Reed Inc. | 241,115 | 286,408 | -16% |
| 19 | R J Reynolds Tobacco Co. | 227,240 | 27,442 | 728% |
| 20 | DTE Energy Company | 224,303 | 205,810 | 9%v |
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