Lobbyists fare well in Uber debate

Jan. 21--Beacon Hill's ride-hailing debate was a magnet for lobbyists, who pulled in at least $1.1 million from a flurry of companies trying to influence the industry-defining legislation lawmakers passed last summer.

The tally, detailed in records encompassing lobbying activity in 2016, helped pace the action in the State House last year, with Uber investing nearly $330,000 in lobbyists and its competitor, Lyft, spending $230,000, public relation expenses included.

But the race to craft the bill drew far more than ride-hailing outfits. Companies ranging from FedEx to insurance giant GEICO and Enterprise Rent-A-Car reported paying lobbyists tens of thousands of dollars to influence the legislation, which ultimately installed a system of background checks for drivers and sets insurance thresholds for companies.

"I was told by some people that have been doing this a lot longer than I have that this was one of the most active and interesting discussions and debates that they've ever seen," said state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, who last session co-chaired the Joint Committee on Financial Services, which was at the center of the debate.

"It certainly consumed a lot of the discussion from the committee's standpoint," Michlewitz said. "It could have been overwhelmingly at certain points in time."

The lobbying figures could grow as more filings trickle onto the Secretary of State's website. But records show nearly a dozen companies or groups tied to the legislation, such as Uber, which had hired Beacon Strategies Group and Brown Rudnick.

An Uber spokeswoman did not return a message seeking comment yesterday.

But the so-called "Uber bill" wasn't the only action helping fill lobbyists' coffers.

ML Strategies -- which actually didn't represent anyone in the ride-sharing debate -- pulled in more than $4 million in fees alone, by far the most of any firm in the state. The firm's one-year total, which grew throughout the day yesterday as the records updated, outpaced the highest total for the previous legislative session -- which covered 2013 and 2014.

Records also show huge payments from Wynn casinos, which ponied up $276,579 as it successfully fought off an appeal from Somerville city officials to score a key environmental permit from the state.

Meanwhile, General Electric forked out $240,000 in fees as it moved its headquarters to Boston.

Spectra Energy, which pushed a controversial natural gas pipeline project, paid $260,000 to ML Strategies, which is led by CEO William "Mo" Cowan, a former U.S. Senator and chief of staff to ex-Gov. Deval Patrick.

___

(c)2017 the Boston Herald

Visit the Boston Herald at www.bostonherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.