Oklahoma lobbyists corps include many former lawmakers

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma leads the nation in the percentage of former lawmakers who are registered lobbyists. <br/><br/>A study by the Center for Public Integrity says 39 former Oklahoma legislators

Friday, October 13th 2006, 11:38 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma leads the nation in the percentage of former lawmakers who are registered lobbyists.

A study by the Center for Public Integrity says 39 former Oklahoma legislators are registered as lobbyists to account for ten percent of all registered lobbyists in the state.

The state is ninth in terms of the total number of former lawmakers who are lobbyists. Texas is tops in that category with 70.

Political scientist David Rauch at West Texas AM says term limits that force lawmakers out of office will likely lead to even more turning to lobbying. But Rauch also says their time as a lobbyist will likely be short because the friends they have in the Legislatures are also term-limited.