However, a check of the federal OpenPayments database shows that, in 2016, companies gave more $2,200 in gifts, $173,400 in travel, and $54,400 in food and beverage. Larger amounts were reported in 2015. All three items are among the various forms of payment that are banned under state law, which prohibits providing food, entertainment, travel, or anything else of value, although exemptions exist.

‘Our office is unable to discuss or comment on whether or not there may or may not be an investigation,’ Merideth Chaudoir, an assistant attorney general, wrote us. ‘Generally, our policy is not to comment on whether or not there may or may not be an investigation such as a probe or other investigatory method. Our office gets thousands of complaints a year and, in order to protect the privacy of individuals and businesses, we do not disclose that information.’