PAC Elected Council Members Easy for Lobbyists to Push Around

Lobbyists Win By Using Campaign Tools to Threaten Weak PAC $$$ Elected Councilmember With Primaries to Win for Uber 

Power in Money: Whenis lobbying in NY not lobbying? (democratandchronicle) When gay-rights groups in 2011 wanted to press the state Legislature to legalize same-sex marriage, they didn’t turn just to a team of lobbyists.They hired a high-powered public relations firm with close ties to public officials to lead the charge. The firm, SKDKnickerbocker, received a whopping $1.8 million for the campaign. he full-court press of ads, mailings and social media worked. New York became the largest state in the nation to make same-sex marriage legal. The spending also made clear something else at the state Capitol: No longer was the key to success solely hiring a lobbying firm to stroll the hallways trying to drum up votes for a special interest. It requires a broad media strategy to win over lawmakers in their districts and in Albany. As spending for lobbying in New York state increased 56 percent over the past decade — from $144 million in 2005 to $226 million in 2015 — so too has the sophistication of the campaigns. A review of records by Gannett’s Albany Bureau showed that the public-relations firms have raked in more than $3 million since 2010 from political campaigns and then worked on efforts to promote key issues before the Legislature through coordinated lobbying efforts. Public-relations firms that can offer a cache of services to public officials and private companies are the new frontier — and state laws have yet to keep up.“The public-relations firms are where it’s heading, especially those that provide political consulting of candidates,” said David Grandeau, the former executive director of the state Lobbying Commission. He said the firms that help state officials get elected can then reap the benefits of their close ties with the lawmakers. “If I’m a consultant and I help you get elected as a state senator, and then I turn around and work for a private-sector, multinational corporation that wants to lobby that public official who I helped get elected, I’m in a pretty good spot to do that, aren’t I?” said Grandeau, a state ethics consultant.

TAXI,  Owners, Lobbyists, Campaign Contributions and the App Uber Revolution

Uber Shadow Govt Team of Lobbyist Was An Orgy With Ton of Money

Uber Used Target Mailing, Robo Calls and Ads to Threaten Councilmembers

 Uber lobbied hard earlier this year, spending $359,089 on lobbying, ads and direct mail to advance its agenda in New York, a sum that excludes its recent campaign amid a fight over a proposed cap, Capital New York writes: 


Justin Kintz, Nicole Benincasa, David Plouffe, Rachel Holt, Josh Mohrer, Colin Tooze, Michael Allegretti, James F. Capalino & Associates, Inc., Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates, Kasirer Consulting LLC, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, FrancisJ. Sanzillo & Associates, Inc., Stu Loeser, Bradly Tusk, Jeff Pollock, Jimmy s Siegel political ads, Neil Quattro * Was David Plouffe the Key to Uber’s Deal With New York City?(NY Mag) * Uber Consultant Rudy Giuliani Gives Uber A Big Thumbs UpOn Background Checks (TPM) * Was David Plouffe the key to Uber's deal with New York City?  (NY Mag)* Taxi-industry lawyers aiming to slow down Uber have won a victory in Chicago that could boost New York City's yellow-cab interests in their fight for survival, Crain’s reports: 

TAXI,  Owners, Lobbyists, Campaign Contributions and the App Uber Revolution