Fergie's Tech Blog

Online System for Filing Disclosures Frustrates Lobbyists

Jeffrey H. Birnbaum writes in The Washington Post:

Thousands of lobbyists, including the president of a lobbyists' trade association and the co-author of an authoritative lobbying manual, were unable to file their disclosure reports electronically this week as required by a new congressional system.

Paul A. Miller, president of the American League of Lobbyists, and Thomas M. Susman, co-editor of the American Bar Association's "The Lobbying Manual," tried to send their reports to the clerk of the House of Representatives via the Internet on Tuesday, the filing deadline. But, like many of their colleagues, they were frustrated to receive a return message that said "Submission status: failed."

Unable to use the new filing method, they were forced to print out their reports and mail or fax them with a cover letter explaining that at least they had tried.

posted by Fergie @ 2/16/2006 06:36:00 AM