The Los Angeles Ethics Commission announced Wednesday that entities registered to lobby city agencies reported receiving payments of nearly $16 million in the first quarter of 2021.
Total lobbying in the first quarter was reported to be $15,887,168 from 1,654 clients.
The 10 highest-paying clients were:
— SOCAL San Pedro SPV 1 LLC, with $742,181;
— Chick-Fil-A, with $346,594;
— LINXS Constructors, with $275,408;
— Staley Point Capital, with $241,253;
— Clear Channel Outdoor Inc., with $195,000;
— Palisades Capital Partners, with $183,444;
— Sandstone Properties, with $159,594;
— Englander Knabe & Allen, on behalf of Puerto Rico Potential LLC, with $156,037;
— Lendlease Development, Inc., with $145,661; and
— NEWKOA LLC, with $128,000.
Payments from those clients totaled $2.53 million and account for 16.2% of all payments for the quarter.
The top 10 highest-paid lobbying firms during the first quarter were:
— Psomas, which was paid $1,018,963;
— Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, which was paid $966,841;
— Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac LLC, which was paid $855,148;
— Englander Knabe and Allen, which was paid $740,701;
— Craig Lawson & Co., LLC, which was paid, $653,645;
— TChoi and Associates, which was paid, $626,936;
— Max Development LLC dba three6ixty, which was paid, $526,954;
— Kimberlina Whettam & Associates, which was paid $513,105;
— Michael Bai and Associates, which was paid, $451,000; and
— Mercury Public Affairs, which was paid $400,300
The top 10 lobbying firms received a total of $6.753 million, or 42.5% of all client payments during the first quarter.
Sixteen of the lobbying entities also reported a total of $149,945 in fundraising activities for city campaigns, officeholders and committees.
The full lobbying summary for the first quarter of 2021 can be viewed at bit.ly/35AaT3D.