Geo Group spent between $60,000 and $89,997 on three lobbying firms -- Ericks Consultants, Mirabella Smith and McKinnon Inc., and Ronald L. Book PA -- in the first quarter of the year.
Geos priority was to advance the bidding process to privatize prisons.
Another advocate of prison privatization was Corrections Corporation of America, which paid Smith BryanMyers Inc. between $10,000 and $19,999 in the quarter.
The effort failed to win Senate approval.
Genting East Coast USA and Genting Bayfront 2011 Property and Bayfront 2011 Development collectively doled out between $370,001 and $509,986 in the first three months of the year for advocacy from 15 firms in Tallahassee.
Among the largest on the Genting payroll were Foley & Lardner LLP, Western Hemisphere Strategies LLC, V-3 Partners LLP, Pittman Law Group, and Ballard Partners.
The focus of the Malaysian-based Genting was a bill that would have given them a chance to construct a mega-casino, with a price tag starting at $2 billion, on the banks of Biscayne Bay.
Another casino advocate, Las Vegas Sands, dished out another $85,000 to $94,999 to Capitol City Consulting and Floridian Partners.
The effort died in the House.
No one is publicly calling the hired guns that advocated on behalf of those high-profile issues, along with others that were unable to attract the majority of legislators to their cause during the 60-day session, a failure.
Part of the reason people wont go on record to call someone a failure is it might be tough to declare someone a loser when they were able to pocket $500,000, $1 million or more for three months of making phone calls, appointments, lunches and just hanging out trying to chat with politicians in Capitol halls and meeting rooms.
Another reason is that many lobbyists found themselves winning other high-profile bills, such as Ballard Partners, hired by Automated Healthcare Solutions to argue against the drug repackaging effort that was supported by key business groups such as the Florida Chamber and Associated Industries of Florida.
Also, many capital insiders expect each firm will be back at the top of the lobbying heap when legislators begin holding conference sessions later this year in preparation for the 2013 regular session.
TOP PAID LOBBYISTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2012
Ballard Partners:$1,000,000 to $1,856,901.
GrayRobinson PA: $1,000,000 to $1,549,915.
Ronald L. Book PA: $1,000,000 to $1,779,935.
Southern Strategy Group: $1,000,000 to $1,579,907.
Capital City Consulting LLC: $500,000 to $999,999.
Colodny Fass Talenfeld Karlinsky & Abate PA: $500,000 to $999,999.
Corcoran & Johnston: $500,000 to $999,999.
Dutko Worldwide LLC: $500,000 to $999,999.
Floridian Partners LLC: $500,000 to $999,999.
Foley & Lardner LLP: $500,000 to $999,999.
Fowler White Boggs PA: $500,000 to $999,999.
Johnson & Blanton: $500,000 to $999,999.
Smith Bryan & Myers Inc.: $500,000 to $999,999.
The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners LLC: $500,000 to $999,999.
The Rubin Group: $500,000 to $999,999.
Tsamoutales Strategies: $500,000 to $999,999.
Below four key issues from the 2012 legislative session: "Hired lobbyists include all the lobbyists hired by the company, not necessarily the one or ones focused on the issue."
DRUG REPACKAGING
Lobbyists for Automated Healthcare Solutions were able to fend off efforts by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and the National Federation of Independent Business to reduce the cost that doctors could charge for dispensing medication bought at wholesale.
Automated Healthcare Solutions
Hired lobbyists:
Ballard Partners, $77,000.
Panza Maurer & Maynard PA, $30,000 to $39,999.
Pittman Law Group PL, $20,000 to $29,999.
The Rubin Group, $20,000 to $29,999.
The Strategy Group LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Hired lobbyists:
Becker & Poliakoff PA, $10,000 to $19,999.
Hopping Green & Sams PA, $1 to $9,999.
Johnson & Blanton, $10,000 to $19,999.
Pennington Moore Wilkinson Bell & Dunbar PA, $1 to $9,999.
Smith Bryan & Myers Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Southern Strategy Group, $20,000 to $29,999.
Tsamoutales Strategies, $30,000 to $39,999.
Associated Industries of Florida
Hired lobbyists:
Capital City Consulting LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Carlton Fields PA, $1 to $9,999.
Frank Meiners Governmental Consultants LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Gentry & Associates LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Greenberg Traurig PA, $10,000 to $19,999.
Harrison Rivard Duncan & Buzzett Chtd., $10,000 to $19,999.
John H. French Attorney at Law, $1 to $9,999.
Pathfinder Communications, $30,000 to $39,999.
Public Affairs Consultants, $20,000 to $29,999.
Rathbun & Associates Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
National Federation of Independent Businesses
GrayRobinson PA, $1 to $9,999.
PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION AUTO INSURANCE REFORM
A bill to reform personal injury protection auto insurance was approved by the Legislature and was more to the liking of the Senate than the House version that was backed by the Florida Consumer Action Network, Florida Medical Association and Florida Justice Association.
Florida Consumer Action Network
Hired lobbyists:
Alice M. Vickers, $1 to $9,999.
Florida Medical Association
Hired lobbyists:
David R. Custin & Associates, $1 to $9,999.
Landmarc Strategies Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Ron Greenstein, $10,000 to $19,999.
T.B. Consultants Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Timmins Consulting LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Florida Justice Association
Hired lobbyists:
ADF Consulting LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Anfield Consulting, $30,000 to $39,999.
Mabry and Associates, $58,000.
Prieguez & Weems LLC, $20,000 to $29,999.
Reginald Garcia PA, $20,000 to $29,999.
Reid Innovation, $10,000 to $19,999.
Wofford Hawkins & Magdaleno (WHAM) Consulting Group LLC, $20,000 to $29,999.
CASINO BILL
A bill that would have created a statewide gaming commission and allowed three mega-casinos to be built in South Florida, backed heavily by the gaming industry, died in the House.
Proponents of the bill:
Genting/Bayfront 2011 Property
Hired lobbyists:
V-3 Partners LLP, $40,000 to $49,999.
Genting East Coast USA, Inc.
Hired lobbyists:
Jefferson Monroe Consulting LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Bayfront 2011 Development, LLC
Hired lobbyists:
Anfield Consulting, $10,000 to $19,999.
Bg & Associates International Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Ballard Partners, $30,000 to $39,999.
Capitol Gains, $30,000 to $39,999.
Capitol Solutions LLC, $1 to $9,999.
Foley & Lardner LLP, $75,000.
Lawson & Associates, $20,000 to $29,999.
Pittman Law Group PL, $40,000 to $49,999.
Pollock & Associates Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Ramba Consulting Group LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
Redfish Consulting, $10,000 to $19,999.
The Horne Group Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Western Hemisphere Strategies LLC, $75,000.
Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Hired lobbyists:
Capitol City Consulting LLC, $55,000.
Floridian Partners LLC, $30,000 to $39,999.
Associated Industries of Florida
Opponents of bill.
Seminole Tribe of Florida
Hired lobbyists:
Dutko Worldwide LLC, $30,000 to $39,999.
Ramba Consulting Group LLC, $10,000 to $19,999.
The Moya Group Inc., $20,000 to $29,999.
Florida Chamber
Opponents of bill.
Walt Disney World Co.
Hired lobbyists:
Metz Husband & Daughton, $10,000 to $19,999.
Southern Strategy Group, $10,000 to $19,999.
PRISON PRIVATIZATION
A bill to seek private companies to oversee correctional facilities in Central and South Florida failed to advance in the Senate.
Police Benevolent Association
Hired lobbyists:
Bradford Group, $10,000 to $19,000.
In support of the bill:
GEO Group
Hired lobbyists:
Ericks Consultants, $20,000 to $29,999.
Mirabella Smith & McKinnon Inc., $30,000 to $39,999.
Ronald L. Book PA, $10,000 to $19,999.
Corrections Corporation of America
Hired lobbyists:
Smith Bryan & Myers Inc., $10,000 to $19,999.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
