JCOPE Releases 2014 Annual Report

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) released its 2014 Annual Report yesterday, which found that $226 million was spent on lobbying in the state. That reflects a $16 million increase over 2013, and breaks the record of $220 million, which was set in 2011.

The biggest spenders were groups lobbying on education policy. Pro-charter school group Families for Excellent Schools was the highest-spending lobbying client in 2014, with $9.63 million in expenditures. They group was followed by the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), which reported lobbying expenditures of $3.24 million, and the Greater New York Hospital Association, with $2.3 million. Rounding out the top ten are the No More Casinos Coalition; the United Federation of Teachers (UFT); the Public Campaign Action Fund; the Public Employees Federation (PEF); the Coalition for Opportunity in Education; the NYS Trial Lawyers Association; and AARP.

The report also looks at JCOPE’s 2014 investigative activity. JCOPE “reviewed over 200 potential matters,” and entered into settled agreements for 28 of them — 26 relating to violations of the Public Officers Law, and just 2 relating to violations of the Lobbying Act.