Eat, drink and be lobbied?

Wednesday, April 21, 1999 | 10:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sens. Ray Shaffer, D-North Las Vegas, and Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, are running neck-and-neck in accepting free meals, drinks and entertainment from lobbyists after two months of the Legislature, a new report says.

But both say the complimentary food and liquor doesn't influence their votes. "I drink their booze and vote against them many times," Schneider said.

The Legislative Counsel Bureau Tuesday released the report showing that lobbyists spent $679 on Shaffer and $678 on Schneider, far and away more than on any other lawmaker this session.

In the Assembly, Speaker Joe Dini, D-Yerington, has received $577 in entertainment, parties and gifts, followed by Morse Arberry, D-Las Vegas, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, at $510.

At the other end of the spectrum are five lawmakers who have not accepted a dime from lobbyists in February and March. They are Sens. Jon Porter, R-Boulder City, and Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, and Assembly members John Lee, D-Las Vegas, Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, and Dawn Gibbons, R-Reno.

Shaffer defended his acceptance of the food and drink. "The sign of a good legislator," he said, "is someone the lobbyists want to exchange ideas with and talk about good legislation.

"It's very healthy for me and for the lobbyists to be able to have that exchange outside the structure of the Legislature here in the building, where we're bothered constantly by other lobbyists and other people and are distracted.

"I've never been asked for a commitment or to do anything. It's just a change of ideas."

Schneider agreed. "When people from all over the state come in, I believe we should go to the reception and meet with them," he said. "They are constituents. They are voters. They are very concerned about what happens."

At the end of the session, Schneider said, he writes a check to Opportunity Village in Las Vegas for the amount of freebies he has received. Opportunity Village helps the mentally handicapped.

Both Shaffer and Schneider serve on the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, which handles such issues as telecommunications, contractors, electric utilities and general business. That may be why they are wined and dined the most.

For instance in March, Margaret McMillan, who represents Sprint, spent $64 entertaining Schneider, and Irene Porter of the Associated General Contractors reported shelling out $40. Porter spent $65 on Shaffer. Charlie Joerg of the Manufactured Housing Association reported $35 for wining and dining Shaffer.

Jon Porter said he attends as many functions as possible, sometimes two or three a night."I want to hear what they have to say," he said.

Since the session started, lobbyists reported spending $13,207 -- $4,875 of it in March.

Danny Thompson of the Nevada State AFL-CIO was the top spender in March at $300, followed by James Spinello of Clark County at $291.