Double-dipping lobbyist

[April 25th, 2007] J.L. Wilson, one of Salem's highest-profile lobbyists, isn't who he appears to be.

For this legislative session, Wilson has taken on clients in addition to—and in conflict with—his employer since 1999, the powerful National Federation of Independent Business Oregon.

As state director of NFIB/Oregon, Wilson advocates for the state association's nearly 13,000 small businesses. And this session, he's been a key lobbyist against Senate Bill 838, a hotly contested renewable energy bill.

But WW has learned that Wilson's filings with the Government Standards and Practices Commission show him registered to lobby for more than 30 other organizations. Among them: the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and Oregon PERS Retirees Inc. whose interests diverge from the right-leaning NFIB.

"There's a real disconnect here," says Janice Thompson, of the watchdog Oregon Money in Politics Research Action Project.

And Wilson's boss, California-based Daniel Markels, didn't know about Wilson's expanded client list. Markels initially told WW that "J.L. is an employee of NFIB and he has no other clients other than his employer." But when read a list of Wilson's non-NFIB clients, Markels said in disbelief, "You're telling me he's a registered lobbyist for [retired] public employees?"

It's easy to see why Wilson would make an attractive frontman to groups trying to defeat SB 838: NFIB represents a formidable constituency.

Wilson acknowledges that he had taken on outside work without NFIB's knowledge or permission.

"To be honest, this was not something I really wanted to draw attention to," says the 32-year-old Wilson, a staffer in the 1990s for former Republican House speakers Lynn Lundquist and Lynn Snodgrass. "It was not something that I was interested in NFIB national knowing about."

Wilson says lobbyist Mark Nelson—who represents Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, the primary opponent of the renewable-energy bill, among dozens of other clients—hired him in March. Among Nelson's clients are ICNU and the Oregon Restaurant Association, which also opposes the renewables bill.

Wilson acknowledges that being registered for clients who aren't disclosed in the Capitol Club lobbyist directory could be confusing to legislators who might think NFIB members in their districts also oppose SB 838. He says the directory doesn't list his non-NFIB clients because Nelson hired him after the directory's deadline. While perhaps true, that explanation is incomplete.

First, of course, Wilson's boss says he cannot work for others. Second, Wilson previously did undisclosed contract work for Nelson's company, Public Affairs Counsel during a 2004 ballot measure campaign.

While identifying himself as NFIB's director, Wilson worked for Nelson's company to defend the state-owned workers' comp insurer, SAIF Corp., against a ballot measure. Wilson's role in that 2004 campaign emerged in a subsequent secretary of state's investigation, which has never previously been publicly reported.

Rep. Sal Esquivel (R-Medford) says NFIB carries a lot of weight with lawmakers in Oregon, a "state of small businesses." Esquivel, whom Wilson lobbied on SB838, says he had no idea Wilson represents dozens of other clients. "This is unbelievable," Esquivel says. "I'm very disappointed."