Finally a JJOKE Commissioner with lobby experience

Am I talking about the commissioners who spoke about the NYCLU catfight NO but if you were scoring the fight at home I'd say Jim Yates scored a technical knockout of Gary Lavine no matter how slow and ponderous Gary's arguments were

Am I talking about the commissioners that called for Seth Agata's resignation in light of my ethics complaint? NO none have even mentioned the elephant in the room

I'm talking about Flannigan's newly appointed commissioner David McNamera, a partner of law firm Phillips Lytel.   Phillips Lytle has retained two lobbyists for the 2017-2018 reporting period and has filed four separate client semi annuals for 2017.  Those reports do have some errors but I'll let JJOKE find them I've already printed the reports to publish after JJOKE whitewashes the mistakes.  The good news is Mr. McNamera most likely has actually read the Lobby Act since he personally signed one of the lobby authorization letters. 

The lobby act does not prohibit a client of a lobbyist from serving on JJOKE, it only prohibits anyone who was a lobbyist during the last three years from serving (and we've had that in the past) but Mr. McNamera will need to be careful in voting on general issues, like regulations that effect clients since his law firm is one.  He should also disclose who his firms clients are so we know when he should recuse.  And the lobbyists his firm has hired need to be especially careful since guys like me will be looking for mistakes and whether JJOKE gives them a get out of jail free card. 

I wonder if hiring a lobbyist who is the son of a legislator makes that fee a gift to the legislator?  HMMM better ask the Percoco defense team.  I guess it depends how much work they actually perform.  Low show lobbying?

And one last thing to think about.  One of the Phillips Lytle lobbying engagements has a third party beneficiary (Pyramid Management Group)  Does that mean Pyramid hired Phillips Lytle as a lobbyist?  Or should Pyramid have been disclosed in the Phillips Lytle source of funding report? ( They weren't).

And if you delve a little further you will see that Phillips Lytle was actually registered as a lobbyist within the last three years.

All in all an inspired choice by the Senate Majority Leader and it should keep me busy for some time checking on Phillips Lytle and Mr. McNamera