Q&A
Effectiveness of current lobbying laws and regulations
0:16:13
·
3 min
Michael McSweeney discusses the effectiveness of current lobbying laws and regulations in New York City. He explains how the city's regulatory scheme is robust and serves as a model for other cities.
- New York City's lobbying regulations are considered robust and effective
- Most lobbyists aim to comply with regulations, recognizing the benefits of transparency
- The City Clerk's office emphasizes the public's right to know about lobbying activities
- Proactive approach in reminding lobbyists of their responsibilities and deadlines
- Encouragement for lobbyists to ask questions and seek guidance to ensure compliance
Keith Powers
0:16:13
You.
0:16:14
And, also, we're joined by Councilor Brooks Powers virtually as well.
0:16:18
Just one last question for me.
0:16:20
You oversee lobbying Bureau.
0:16:22
Off the top of we discuss around exactly and there's bills and city council right now related to provisions around lobbying, extending lobbying bans, things like that.
0:16:31
Can you just talk from your experience about how you think the current law being laws regulations and things that you're doing geo training, how they are working in order to keep a lobbying world industry.
0:16:46
Gotta keep, you know, them compliant.
0:16:48
How to how to, you know, create the necessary distance and separation between government and lobbying, especially with folks that are all going.
0:16:55
Just talk a little bit about what your bureau is overseeing and how you think the current regulations and laws are working?
Michael McSweeney
0:17:02
I think the current regulations are working pretty well.
0:17:06
I think that, you know, New York City has a robust regulatory scheme.
0:17:12
I know that because other cities when they when they are just talking about or deciding to enact lobbying regulation, they call us.
0:17:21
And they look at at what the city counts also did, and and and, you know, like, we've been a model for some of those other cities.
0:17:29
And I think that you know, the vast majority of lobbyists want to comply and they want to be out there and you know, like the more business that they're doing, the more business they will attract.
0:17:44
So I think that that most most lobbyists are you know, reporting, maybe some are over reporting.
0:17:51
But it's certainly, I I would say the the vast majority of lobbyists have been reporting pretty successfully.
0:18:00
I think, you know, some lobbyists have better compliance departments than others.
0:18:06
You know, that's always an issue.
0:18:08
But, you know, we make it clear to the lobbyists that the the most important thing that you need to know is that the public has a right to know what who is lobbying their government and how much they're being paid to do so.
0:18:23
So that is why it's so important that you are on time with your lobbying reports.
0:18:30
So we, you know, we keep an eye on our lobbyists.
0:18:33
We know who's registered.
0:18:35
If somebody hasn't been complying, we will make phone calls.
0:18:38
We will say, hey, you know, like, we noticed that you haven't been been doing that.
0:18:42
We and and you know, we we through that process and through the training process, and we remind people what the lobbying deadlines are.
0:18:52
We remind people that it's always better to, you know, to register than to not register.
0:18:58
And we try to take a you know, this the kind of approach that the conflict of interest board takes with city employees.
0:19:04
We try to, you know, let people know if you have any questions, ask us.
0:19:08
We would much rather you ask us you know, and and get it right rather than we find out after the fact, and there has to be, you know, the possibility of fines and and and maybe worse.