Ten facts about lobbying

1. A lobbyist is a defined as a person who promotes the position or interests of a certain group or cause to legislatures.
2. Lobbyists spent 2.83 billion dollars in their activities in the 2007.
3. The average lobbyist salary in the United States is $46,000; however, the average salary for a lobbyist employed by a large D.C. firm is around $300,000.
4. During the Bush administration, the number of federal lobbyists more than doubled.
5. In 1995, congress passed the Lobbying Disclosure Act in attempt to make the lobbying practice more transparent.
6. Most lobbyists have backgrounds in politics, either educational or work related.
7. Any lobbyist making over $6,000 in six months must register with the federal government.
8. Failure to register with the federal government has fines ranging up to $50,000.
9. Jack Abramoff, one of the most synonymous names to lobbyist corruption, is currently serving ten years on two different cases involving lobbying corruption.
10. The most a single person can donate to a political campaign is $2,300.