Board of Ethical Conduct directs clerk to notify council of 2024 lobbyists who failed to file reports; forwards client analysis to vice mayor

The Metropolitan Board of Ethical Conduct voted Friday to ask the Metropolitan Clerk's Office to send a hard-copy and email summary to Metropolitan Council members identifying registered lobbyists from 2024 who failed to file required annual reports and are therefore ineligible to register or serve as lobbyists for calendar year 2025 without appearing before the board.

The board also voted to forward a supplemental analysis prepared by the Metropolitan Clerk's Office on lobbyist reporting and clients to the vice mayor on an information-only basis.

Chair Yanni, chair of the Metropolitan Board of Ethical Conduct, opened discussion on item 6 by noting the supplemental report had been prepared at the board’s request to address concerns about “clients of registered lobbyists with repeated violations on the annual reporting requirements.” The report examined whether clients were avoiding reporting obligations by switching lobbyists year to year;…