Lobbying

Lincoln, NE — Last year, Nebraska lobbyists broke records, earning a whopping $21,839,249 in compensation from special interests to influence legislation, according to a new report released today by Common Cause Nebraska. 

Nebraska lobbyists hired to influence the decisions of state lawmakers earned a record-breaking compensation of $20,789,181 in 2021, according to a new report released today by Common Cause Nebraska.

In 2000, gross earnings for the Nebraska lobby were recorded as $3,002853. Since then, we have seen increases each year reaching an all-time high in 2019 of $19,405,061. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, however, brought the steady growth in total earnings to a halt.

Today, Common Cause Nebraska released its annual report detailing the state’s lobbying activity. The report, “Lobbyist Spending: Nebraska’s Other Pandemic Thrives During COVID-19,” found that while gross lobbying expenditures dropped in 2020, lobbyist compensation increased for more than half of the state’s top ten firms.

Common Cause Nebraska releases 2020 Lobbying Report

For nine years, Common Cause Nebraska has compiled public records to document the growing wealth of the lobby and expose the influence of special interest money in politics. We continue to advocate for a two-year break before legislators can become lobbyists, ending in-session fundraisers and more transparency from both lobbyists and the special interest groups on how they influence lawmakers.