Politics & Government

Local Delegation Accepted Few Gifts From Lobbyists

Although the Virginia General Assembly members accepted about $246,000 in gifts in 2011, the Fredericksburg's area delegation took very little from lobbyists.

Only one local state legislator ranked in the top 20 for the total amount of gifts accepted in 2011.

State legislators accepted $246,000 in gifts in 2011, according to information from The Virginia Public Access Project. Although the number of gifts and free trips that state legislators report each year continues to decline, the average value of these gifts has spiked from $300 to $450 in just three years, VPAP said.

Only Speaker of the House Bill Howell, R-Stafford, ranked in the top 20 among local legislators. He reported $7,062 in gifts for 2011. The bulk of the amount came from the State Legislative Leader Foundation for a trip, hotels and meals to a South Carolina meeting worth $2,695, and $1,369 from the Virginia Bankers Association for hotels and meals at its annual conference. The American Legislative Exchange Council ($895), the National Council of State Legislators ($849) and the Republican Legislative Campaign Council ($840) also paid for Howell to travel, stay and eat while attending their conferences. The Virginia State Police Association gave Howell a $140 jacket and paid $96 for his hotel stay so he could speak at one of its dinners. Capital One also paid $78 for two meals for Howell. 

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Almost half of the total amount—$120,336—in legislative gifts came from one company, Virginia Uranium. The company is trying to convince legislators to lift the state’s moratorium on uranium mining and what better way to do that than pay all expenses for 16 legislators to travel to France and Canada to tour mine and processing facilities. Some lawmakers even took their spouses. No one from the local delegation accepted any gifts from Virginia Uranium.

Dominion, which is the second-largest gift giver, likes to send legislators to sporting events. Del. Mark Cole accepted Washington Redskins tickets and food worth $564. He also accepted Kings Dominion's gift of three tickets worth $120 to the amusement park and $132 for dinner at an Altria event, which supports the tobacco industry.

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