The steps of the Maryland State House, where lobbyists often ply their trade. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines
The COVID-19 pandemic is devastating the Maryland economy and the General Assembly cut its session short this year for the first time since the Civil War.
But State House lobbying continues to be a remunerative profession, according to a report issued Thursday by the Maryland State Ethics Commission, which tracks and regulates lobbying activity in the state.
More than 125 registered State House lobbyists earned at least $50,000 between Nov. 1 and April 30, the report showed — a period that included the legislative session, which ran from Jan. 8 through March 18, 19 days shorter than its original closing date.
Thirty-seven registered lobbyists cleared $250,000 in earnings during the six-month reporting period, and half a dozen topped $1 million.
