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UNIVERSITY WOOED VIRGINIA LAWMAKERS WITH NEARLY $2,000 IN GIFTS IN 2007-THE DAILY PROGRESS, FEBRUARY 6, 2008

Posted: Wednesday February 6, 2008

University wooed Virginia lawmakers with nearly $2,000 in gifts in 2007

From staff reports / Charlottesville Daily Progress
February 6, 2008

The University of Virginia wooed state lawmakers in 2007 with nearly $2,000 worth of football tickets, basketball tickets, buffet lunches, dinners and parking spaces, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Each January, members of the Senate and House of Delegates must disclose gifts, trips and honoraria that were paid for by special interests during the previous year.

In total, the state’s 140 lawmakers accepted around $167,000 in gifts – an increase of 30 percent over the previous year, according to VPAP, a nonprofit that compiles the disclosure records.

Of all institutions and business, UVa was the 17th-most significant contributor to lawmakers last year. Virginia Tech was the 10th-biggest donor with $2,861 in gifts.

Ranked 16th was payday lender Advance America Cash Advance, while Exxon Mobil came in at No. 19.

“The university has for years invited legislators to athletics events and pre-game meals,” UVa spokeswoman Carol Wood said.

All lawmakers are invited to the UVa-Virginia Tech game each year and local lawmakers are offered tickets to other events as well, she said. Occasionally, a lawmaker will request tickets to a UVa sporting event.

By offering tickets to lawmakers, Wood said, UVa officials have a chance to get to know the legislators in an informal setting and thank them for their support of higher education.

For the second year in a row, UVa’s top recipient was Del. James P. “Jimmie” Massie III, R-Richmond. UVa gave Massie $550 worth of basketball tickets and $200 worth of football tickets.

Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle County, attended a UVa reception valued at $160. Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, ate at UVa’s pre-game buffet and attended a football game, all of which was valued at $135. And Del. Edward T. Scott, R-Madison, got $100 worth of UVa football tickets.

UVa gave gifts to five members of the House Education Committee, which regulates Virginia’s higher education institutions. UVa also contributed to three members of the House Committee on General Laws, which was the first committee to consider a bill to give UVa’s anonymous donors an exemption from the state’s open records laws.