On Lobbying

As a second year student at Drake Law School I opted to take the Legislation class last semester. It was taught by famed agricultural law expert and lobbyist Professor Neil Hamilton. As part of the course we studied the art of lobbying, and Professor Hamilton brought in a panel of lobbyists to discuss their experiences and answer questions. The following day, Professor Hamilton asked the class for our opinions on the panel and the overall consensus was that the panel was informative and should be kept on the schedule for next year. There was however one student who was adamant about never wanting to be exposed to the influence of a lobbyist again.

This student, though highly educated and halfway through law school failed to realize the true role and responsibility of a lobbyist. A lobbyist not only has the job of representing his or her clients’ interests but also has the job of educating legislators. Often it seems that people forget that legislators are generally average folks who are not experts on all issues that arise in the hundreds of pieces of legislation placed before them. The lobbyist must provide the legislator with information that enables him or her to make educated decisions about issues that will affect the clients.

But who are these clients? The clients are Iowans – they are the People with narrowly tailored interests represented by the lobbyist in the People’s House. Nearly every interest arguably has the opportunity to be represented (with the exception of Tobacco interests) by a registered lobbyist. Those without a registered lobbyist are not without recourse. Individuals are free to contact legislators about issues affecting them, and the legislators listen.

The most effective lobbyists have reputations for being impeccably honest and resourceful. Iowa ethics and campaign laws also regulate lobbyist activity and, at least in Iowa, lobbyists strictly adhere to them. In the event a lobbyist has their reputation tarnished by some other than honest act, they may as well pack up and go home because they can no longer be relied upon to provide legislators with accurate and honest information.

The student in my Legislation class generally offended by lobbyists suffers from a preconceived, gross misconception of the necessity of lobbyists in the legislative process and our system of representative government. Lobbyists provide a much needed service in educating legislators and representing clients’ specific interests. The art of lobbying is capable of being mastered by a select group of individuals in possession of the personality, persistence, and patience to persuasively communicate their client’s needs in the audience of legislators.

The 83^rd General Assembly gaveled in on Monday and the lawmaking process has begun.