Steak dinners and ski passes: As lobbyists spend to influence New Mexico Legislature, 2 lawmakers seek more transparency – By Dan McKay (Albuquerque Journal) / Mar 23 2023
SANTA FE – Lobbyists treated New Mexico legislators to a flamenco show, steakhouse dinners and ski passes during this year’s 60-day session — the first in three years without any COVID-19 restrictions.
About $285,000 in spending was reported by lobbyists and their employers over a nine-week stretch as they bought dinner for legislative committees, launched advertising campaigns and left gifts on lawmakers’ desks.
The total is just a slice of their full spending. More-detailed filings are due in May, and other quirks in the reporting system make it difficult to track the full scope of the spending.
A bipartisan pair of state senators — Democrat Jeff Steinborn of Las Cruces and Republican Mark Moores of Albuquerque — say New Mexico’s reporting requirements miss critical information.
