Peter Schorsch
Three former elected officials who are now lobbyists posted strong compensation reports for the third quarter of 2019.
Florida lobbyists report their pay in ranges covering $10,000 increments up to $50,000, after which lobbyists must report exact pay. Quarterly reports also list broad ranges for overall compensation ranges for the quarter.
Compensation reports covering July through September are due to the state Nov. 14.
According to the newly filed reports, former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, former Senate President Mike Haridopolos and former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp all earned six figures over the three-month stretch.
Steve Crisafulli
Crisafulli, who served as House Speaker for 2015 and 2016 Legislative Sessions, launched a solo consulting company earlier this year, shortly after the clock ran out on the two-year lobbying ban on former lawmakers and statewide elected officers.
The firm, Crisafulli Consulting, has gotten off to a fast start — the end of the third quarter, the Merritt Island Republican had brought on a dozen clients.
His new reports show those principals paid him at least $50,000 to lobby the Legislature and another $50,000 to lobby the Governor and Cabinet.
Median figures show $85,000 in earnings on each report, or $170,000 in pay. At the top end, he could have earned $200,000 last quarter.
There was a three-way tie atop his reports, with BRIDG, Health First Health Plans and Health First each paying between $10,000 and $20,000 for his services.
Mike Haridopolos
Haridopolos, who served as Senate President for the 2011 and 2012 Legislative Sessions, earned no less than $200,000 from his 20-plus clients last quarter.
The pay was evenly split between his legislative and executive branch compensation reports.
Median figures indicate a slightly higher haul — $110,000 in legislative lobbying pay and $100,000 in executive pay. If all his clients paid top dollar in their reported ranges, he could have earned as much as $340,000.
The most lucrative contract on Haridopolos’ legislative compensation report was Larkin Health Systems, which paid between $20,000 and $30,000 for the quarter. Larkin Health Systems also topped the executive report, alongside Handex Consulting & Remediation and South Central Florida Express. All three paid between $10,000 and $20,000.
Jeff Kottkamp
Before starting his lobbying career, Kottkamp served in the Florida House from 2000 through 2006 and then as Lieutenant Governor under former Gov. Charlie Crist from 2007 through 2011.
Kottkamp represented a half-dozen clients during the July-through September reporting period. Median figures point to $75,000 in pay, though he could have earned as much as $120,000 if his clients maxed out their contracts.
Most of that haul was listed on his legislative compensation report, which was topped by Small Business Pharmacies Aligned for Reform in the $20,000 to $30,000 pay range.
His executive branch report showed four clients — ALM Media, the Florida Greyhound Association, Guardians of American History and Small Business Pharmacies Aligned for Reform — in the up-to-$10,000 bracket.
