So far during the recession, California's leaders, their staffs and their relatives have taken about 12,000 gifts worth a total of $833,000, according to a Bee analysis of tens of thousands of lobbyist disclosure forms. Legislators say these gifts, which include more than $150,000 in tickets to concerts and sporting events, don't affect the way they vote. Campaign watchdogs counter that they are just short of bribery.
Use this database to search every gift given to a state leader from January 2008 to June 2009 ...
Summary tables
Who got the most? ·
Whose staff got the most? ·
Whose relatives got the most? ·
Going to Disneyland ·
Free Beer ·
What a coincidence! ·
Who gave the most?
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After getting results click here to perform a new search.Story: Amid crisis, California legislators still wined and dined on lobbyists' dime
Sources: Bee research; California Secretary of State; California Fair Political Practices Commission Form 700s.
This database was built by hand, mostly from thousands of lobbyist disclosure forms. If you think you see a mistake, email us. Data current as of August 1, 2009, and does not include any amendments made after that. Since this database was built mostly from lobbyist disclosure reports, some gifts from individuals who don't officially lobby state government may not show up here. Receptions held at restaurants are generally listed as "dinners" here; in some cases, a full meal may not have been served. Anything bought and reported by a lobbyist employer for officials is listed here as a gift, regardless of whether state rules would require officials to disclose it on mandated forms.
Change Log: 9/17/09 ... CCPOA held two events in April; database previously had attendees of one going to the other; switched to make correct ... 9/21/09 ... Nine gifts were incorrectly attributed to Assm. Noreen Evans; those gifts are now correctly attributed to Assm. Norma Torres ... 9/21 ... Fixed problem with geography search that had Assm. Dick Ackerman included in search results for San Luis Obispo County ... 9/22 ... Added attendees to Cigar Caucus event put on by American Cigar Association ...
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