BOSTON — Agenda-pushing Beacon Hill lobbyists are infusing North Shore lawmakers' campaign bank accounts with cash at an ever-growing rate, an analysis of lobbying reports shows.
State representatives and senators from the North Shore accepted more than $40,000 in campaign contributions directly from lobbyists and their firms in 2010, according to disclosure records filed with the state.
The lucrative payouts marked the peak of a dramatic, three-year climb in lobbyist donations, as lawmakers continue to consider legalized gaming and a slate of reforms.
Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry collected the most from lobbyists last year, $13,275. Rep. Ted Speliotis of Danvers, who was locked in a tight race for re-election last fall, accepted $8,050 in donations.
In all, North Shore legislators received $40,350 in lobbyist contributions in 2010, compared with $29,845 in 2009 and $17,850 two years ago.
"Quite candidly, I think it reflects the delegation's greater role in the legislative process," said Speliotis, who attributed his lucrative donations to his House committee chairmanship. "The fact of the matter is more of us have entered into leadership positions, and we've assumed greater responsibilities."
Under new campaign finance laws, lobbyists can donate no more than $200 per candidate.
Still, the check signers can wield their influence in ways the average taxpayer can't, one political observer said.
"I think it's fairly alienating because even though you can't necessarily buy votes, even buying that access or being able to rub elbows with a rep is much more than an average citizen can do," said Dan Mulcare, a political science professor at Salem State University. "It shows the power of money in politics. People think, correctly, that it's detrimental to the political process."
Speliotis flatly denied that lobbyists' donations influence his votes and noted that he often receives contributions from stakeholders on both sides of an issue.
He has returned campaign donations before, but not from lobbyists, he said.
"No," Speliotis said, "because I feel they can afford it. I'm a populist at heart. If somebody can afford to give me the money, I'm not about to return it. That doesn't make any sense to me."
Instead, he has returned checks from donors he felt couldn't afford it, including a staff member. He once tried to return a $25 contribution from a 90-year-old woman, but she refused to take it back, he said.
He doesn't actively seek donations from groups or individuals with legislation pending before the consumer protection committee that he chairs, he said.
"The fact is that most of the money I receive is totally unsolicited," Speliotis said.
Berry did not return a request for comment Friday.
While the donations may not play well with the public, they can boost lawmakers' popularity within their party, Mulcare said.
"It helps to raise their stature as a fundraiser," he said. "That's one of the reasons legislators are receptive of getting this money — to show their prowess."
Staff writer Chris Cassidy can be reached at ccassidy@salemnews.com and on Twitter @ChrisCassidy_SN.
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