Universities spent more than $2M on lobbying efforts the last four years

Public officials received more than $276,000 in freebies from universities.

Despite spending millions on lobbying, their budgets continue to be cut.

Database: Search by university or name of official (at bottom of story)

When Ole Miss played in the 2016 Sugar Bowl, more than a dozen Mississippi public officials were in the stands free of charge to watch the Rebels crush Oklahoma State.

Lobbyists doled out nearly $13,000 worth of free tickets for lawmakers and other state officials that day. But the lobbyists weren’t working for a large corporation or a private industry group. They were lobbyists for the University of Mississippi, and Ole Miss is not alone in its largesse to public officials.

Seven of Mississippi’s eight public universities and their private foundations spent nearly $2 million on lobbying over the past four years, a Clarion Ledger analysis found. That amount includes money for staff lobbyists and private lobbying firms, plus wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers.

The analysis found:

Universities provided more than $276,000 combined in freebies for officials over four years. Including receptions, the total is nearly $350,000.

Nearly 40 officials received $2,000 or more in gifts and services. The top-five lawmakers received between $6,600 and $8,500 apiece.

Gifts to lawmakers included Ruth's Chris Steak House meals at $174 per plate, sports memorabilia worth $376 and single-game ticket packages valued at $1,500.

Despite these lobbying efforts, university funding has dropped 12 percent since 2016.

These public universities lavish money on public officials in hopes of getting more public dollars. And they spend more than most any other special interest groups seeking influence in the Capitol.

Last year, the state's three largest universities showered officials with $58,000 in freebies — about three times more than Mississippi Power, Entergy and electric co-op lobbyists gave out combined.

In Mississippi it's all completely legal. The state's lack of restrictions on gifts to public officials — restrictions many other states have — means elected officials, their families and even friends can benefit from unlimited freebies without worry.

Who gets the gifts?

Campus officials said they are more likely to invite the chairmen of key committees to games or meals to explain to them a particular higher education issue, or to seek funding for specific projects. Many of the reported expenditures reflect this.

Sen. Terry Burton, R-Newton, the former number two presiding officer in the Senate, received the most giveaways of any public official, valued at more than $8,500.

Eight of the 20 top-earning lawmakers serve in their respective chambers’ higher education committees. The same number serve on appropriation committees, which set university budgets.

Statewide elected officials get perks, too. Over the past four years, Treasurer Lynn Fitch received about $3,300 in giveaways, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves more than $2,300, and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann about $2,100. Gov. Phil Bryant received less than $1,000.

Staffers also cash in on free tickets and meals. For example, the chiefs of staff for the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House got more than $1,600 in handouts combined since 2015.

Are lawmakers making money off free tickets?

Lawmakers need not wait to be invited to sporting events. They can request tickets to the games they want to attend, the Clarion Ledger found. And if a lobbyist knows the official will want to attend several games, they sometimes offer a season pass.

“If a lawmaker requests tickets, I will do everything I can to accommodate them,” said Perry Sansing, Ole Miss’ staff government affairs liaison.

Mark Davies, a Fordham University law professor and ethics expert, said this arrangement is problematic. "Any good ethics law,” he said, “would absolutely prohibit any request for any gift, regardless of size, because that would constitute a misuse of office for private gain.”

Past the obvious benefit of attending games for free — along with family and friends — there is also a potential for public officials to benefit financially by selling tickets.

House Ways and Means Chairman Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, accepted about $6,600 in tickets and gifts, the fourth-highest of any lawmaker. He said he sometimes requests sports tickets for big games for himself and his family, but he admits that there has been talk in his 25 years at the Capitol of some lawmakers selling the free tickets.

"I know all the rumors about members selling them," Smith said. "... I have no proof, but there has been talk before that in the past. People got tickets and didn’t use them, and scalped them."

Smith called doing so "a pretty simple temptation."

Davies said gift laws are aimed at protecting against this kind of graft — or even the appearance of it.

“The public perception of an official receiving a gift is horrible and undermines both the reality and the perception of integrity in government,” he said in an email. “Often the affected members of the public, if not the public as a whole, will believe ‘the fix is in.’”

Are universities getting their money’s worth?

Despite lavish spending on lawmakers, state universities don’t appear to fare much better than any other agencies come budget time. Higher education as a whole has faced budget cuts just like other agencies in recent years.

Total state appropriations for universities increased slightly in fiscal 2016, to $344 million, but since plummeted 12 percent, to about $302 million last year.

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State higher learning officials in recent years have blamed anemic state funding for tuition increases — including an average 4-percent increase this year for attending the state’s eight public universities.

Smith said universities compete for special projects, which lawmakers typically fund each year through borrowing in a “Christmas tree” bond bill. He said some universities “couldn’t function” without help from lobbyists.

“The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” Smith said. “… If Southern Miss didn’t have (private lobbying firm) Capitol Resources, I’m not sure what they would do. Southern’s enrollment has dropped so much. I don’t know that they would have gotten their nursing school built a few years ago if it weren’t for Capitol Resources.”

Many states ban gifts to lawmakers. Should Mississippi?

In some states — including Florida, Louisiana and Tennessee — it’s illegal for lobbyists to give any gifts to public officials. These are referred to as “no cup of coffee” laws, and many states have cracked down on the influence of lobbying money in government.

But Mississippi is one of a dwindling number of states that place no limits on gift giving to public officials.

The spending raises ethical questions about whether state officials should be accepting skybox seats and steakhouse dinners in the first place. Some opponents also question whether universities could accomplish their goals without the freebies.

School officials say most lobbying expenses are covered by private funds, from foundations and alumni associations. Yet public funds are used for some expenditures, the Clarion Ledger found. Some away games are paid for using public money and at least one school, Southern Miss, also pays its contract lobbyists using public money, though not from state appropriations or tuition.

“We think it’s a bad idea for universities to engage in lobbying elected officials, and using tickets to sporting events, parking passes, or meals,” said Jon Pritchett, CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, a conservative, limited government think tank. “Despite efforts by universities to segregate sources of money, it’s too easy for taxpayer dollars to be deployed in the act of lobbying.

“On the other hand, a university could stop taking state appropriations and use nothing but private dollars to fund their efforts, and they would be free to lobby for anything they’d like."

Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, who has unsuccessfully pushed lobbying reform in recent years, said Mississippi’s lack of lobbying laws and limits “is a perfect recipe for corruption.” He got $340 in tickets for a September Ole Miss football game when he was campaigning for U.S. Senate in the Grove, but said neither he nor his staff used the tickets or attended the game.

McDaniel said he has distanced himself from lobbyist dinners and freebies because the “appearance of impropriety is just too great.” Some of the dinners and drinks offered to lawmakers, he added, are far beyond what average Mississippians can afford.

How do lawmakers, universities defend the practice?

House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, declined to be interviewed for this story. Instead, he sent an emailed statement saying universities bringing legislators on campus for free games and other events was “perfectly appropriate.”

"They have every right to lobby legislators just like every other organization — public, private or other state agency — all of which invite legislators to attend functions,” he said, adding he brings family and friends to games.

Gunn received almost $6,000 from the universities since 2015, including a $1,500 Sugar Bowl ticket package and a $50 signed football at the game.

Rep. Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, a member of the House Universities and Colleges Committee, said he sticks to advice he got when he joined the Legislature eight years ago: If you eat and drink on a lobbyist’s dime at night and can’t vote against their bill the next morning, then “you don’t have any business being down here" at the Capitol. Lamar, who received $5,700 in gifts, said the visits help him get to know each campus and its leadership.

Universities defend the practice on two fronts.

First, much of the lobbying money comes from the schools’ private foundations or from public money not generated by state taxes or school tuition, they say.

Second, they argue lobbying is needed to get legislators on campus to make their pitch for funding and projects.

Sansing, the Ole Miss’ government liaison, also works with private lobbyists hired by the school. He said universities benefit from face time with lawmakers at games or dinners.

“So much of what happens in Mississippi and the South is developing relationships,” Sansing said. “Every campus in the SEC talks about this, getting people on campus. (Lawmakers) have great experiences, and you develop a relationship.”

MSU spokesman Sid Salter said his university is careful to spend only private foundation money on lobbying and freebies. He said there is intrinsic value in having lawmakers visit campus and “focus their attention” on policy and funding issues.

“I’ve had other reporters ask, do those discussions really take place in the second quarter of a football game?” Salter said. “The surprising answer to that is yes … It’s an effective means to have some time with the people who are making those decisions.”

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Contact Luke Ramseth at 601-961-7050 or lramseth@gannett.com. Follow @lramseth on Twitter.

Contact Geoff Pender at 601-961-7266 or gpender@gannett.com. Follow @GeoffPender on Twitter.