They cluster in the State House lobby between the House and Senate chambers, talking on cellular phones while waiting to catch the ears of passing lawmakers. They also attend legislative committee and subcommittee meetings for hours on end, as well as visit lawmakers in their offices. That s just a part of their work, said Richard F. Davis, the top wage earner among S.C. lobbyists last year. He said lobbyists are necessary, especially in state legislatures where members have small staffs. We make no apologies for lobbying.
Some political scientists call lobbyists a necessary evil.
Nobody likes a lobbyist, but they play a critical role, said USC s Blease Graham. Clemson s Dave Woodard said lobbyists don t necessarily deserve their lousy reputation. You do have to have them, he said. We couldn t have a system of democracy without them, but lobbyists are awfully hard to regulate, Woodard said. Yet regulations are tighter today than a decade ago, before the federal Lost Trust sting caught more than two dozen lawmakers, lobbyists and state employees in ethics violations.