City Posts Lobbyist Data Online

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 17, 2011 1:24PM

We wrote yesterday that the city's Open Data portal is by far the gift that keeps on giving in the early days of the Emanuel Administration. Yesterday the city added full lobbyist data - who's registered in 2010 and 2011, lists of gift reports, lobbyists whose connections to the city were terminated and, sure to make the blood boil, what they were paid by the city last year.

What's to glean from all this? I's good to be a lobbyist. The city paid out $13 million to lobbyists last year. The list includes some names familiar to followers of Chicago politics like former 32nd Ward Ald. Terry Gabinski, who earned $276,000 in lobbying fees from the city.

One lobbyist, Ronald Johnson, brought in $838,000 for his firm, lobbying on behalf of Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, the Public Building Commission of Chicago and the Chicago Cubs, among others.

We could seriously sit and filter this list all day.