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Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which is seeking to build bulk quantities of stores in D.C., has quadrupled the retainer it pays to well-connected lobbyist David Wilmot. The beloved group home leader took in $60k from Wal-Mart during the last six months of 2010, lobbying disclosure forms show. That’s up from $15k during the first half of last year.
Other interesting tidbits from the Jan 10th lobbying disclosure filings, which cover the last half of last year:
- The Marijuana Policy Project lobbied only one councilmember directly: David Catania.
- ACLU’s lobbying costs for the last six months: $400
- The D.C. Hospital Association spent nearly $100k and lobbied almost every city official under the sun, including Gray’s old transition director, Reuben Charles.
- For some reason General Motors spent $10k lobbying District officials.
- John Ray, an attorney for CM Harry Thomas Jr. who is helping the councilmember fend off the Office of Attorney General’s probe into Thomas’ sports youth non-profit, is the lobbyist for Rhode Island Avenue Metro LLC. The Post has reported that Rhode Island donated money to Thomas’ non-profit, and he voted to give the development tax breaks. Rhode Island spent $28k on lobbying during the last six months.
- The pharmaceutical lobby paid Wilmot $26,250 for his services. Anheuser-Busch paid him $21k.
- The big beverage lobby, which opposes the so-called soda tax, spent about $35k on “grassroots advocacy.”
Want more? Comb through the filings here. Let LL know if you spot anything good.