The fight has intensified for months as critical decisions draw near on a raft of key questions, including the possible state purchase of the utilities' 32,000-mile power grid. If you squeeze the balloon over here, it's going to pop out over there. And a lot of these legislators are new. That's kind of scary. Providing essential information, with the right spin, is an art of the lobbyist accomplished by a variety of means.
Lobbyists testify at hearings.
They meet privately with lawmakers and staff. They draft legislation and amendments, sometimes competing to provide the key language that may become law. They identify swing votes and broker deals with other interest groups. They hold impromptu news conferences. They network with their allies to shape strategies on a chessboard that changes every moment.