A lobbyist is someone who tries to influence public officials for or against a specific cause. They use verbal persuasion or unethical practices like bribery. Lobbyists can directly or indirectly influence officials and represent various organizations. They may work together and are heavily regulated to prevent unethical behavior.
A lobbyist is someone whose job it is to try to influence public officials, usually for or against a specific cause. Lobbyists are typically employed by interest groups who want public policy to benefit them and their causes. The word “lobbyist” comes from the type of room where the act of lobbying often takes place, such as the lobby of a government building, where lawmakers might convene before entering the floor to discuss proposals or vote. Lobbyists typically use verbal persuasion to try to sway public officials, but some may resort to more unethical or even illegal practices, such as bribery. For this reason, lobbying is generally heavily regulated.
Methods of influence
There are several ways a lobbyist might try to directly influence a public official. He or she might hold a formal meeting with one or more officials where information is shared that supports the lobbyist or interest group’s position. Additionally, a lobbyist might seek to befriend government officials in a variety of ways, such as taking them out to dinner, throwing parties, or providing entertainment.
Lobbyists can also indirectly influence public officials. One way to do this is to get citizens to lobby officials. For example, a lobbyist might organize a letter-writing campaign, organize a protest, or encourage citizens to call their government representatives in support or opposition of a particular proposal. Lobbyists could buy advertisements designed to influence public opinion or lobby officials. They could also use the media to draw attention to their causes.
Causes represented
Many types of organizations use lobbyists. Businesses, industries and groups in some segments of the economy use lobbyists to encourage legislation that will benefit them financially. Organizations representing certain moral or political issues use lobbyists to support their causes. Groups of all kinds that have concerns or issues that could be affected by public policy can use lobbyists to influence officials who make such policies.
Working together
Sometimes, lobbyists and interest groups will work together to support or oppose certain issues. These cooperative efforts could be between groups that have similar or related interests, such as one that supports environmental causes and one that supports animal rights. Other times, however, seemingly unconnected groups or even groups that normally oppose them might find common ground on a specific piece of legislation that’s under consideration and will combine their efforts to sway public officials.
Ethics
In most jurisdictions, it is illegal for public officials to accept money or certain favors in exchange for certain actions in their job, such as voting for or against a piece of legislation. Small gifts, entertainment, food, or other items of a certain monetary value or less may be legal, however, and are quite common. Occasionally, an unscrupulous lobbyist may offer kickbacks or exceed the allowable limits for these benefits provided to government officials. While these types of lobbyists are believed to be a very small percentage of all lobbyists, they have caused this profession to have quite a negative connotation for many people.
Regulation
In an effort to prevent unethical or illegal behavior by lobbyists, these individuals and the interest groups they represent are heavily regulated in many jurisdictions. They may need to register with the government to engage in lobbying on a regular basis. You may also need to report any benefits you provide to government officials, although often a minimum monetary value is required before you need to report the benefit.
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