Los Angeles Times: Wildfire liability, net neutrality bills help spur record spending on California lobbying in 2018

Big business and other interest groups spent a record $360 million last year on lobbying California government, led by the state’s largest electric utilities, which weighed in on high-profile efforts to change laws that govern billions of dollars in wildfire-related costs. ​​​​​​

Other top spenders included oil companies that fought new restrictions aimed at offshore drilling and telecommunications giants that opposed a sweeping net neutrality bill.

The flood of money eclipsed the previous record of $342.6 million spent in 2017 and sparked new concern about the amount of cash going towards swaying decisions at the state Capitol.

“Money has too much influence on our political system,” said Rey Lopez-Calderon, the executive director of California Common Cause. “Every year we see the lobbying spending increase is a year we risk disenfranchising more voters and silencing the voices of ordinary citizens.”