Brian Ballard
Brian Ballard, the national finance co-chair and Florida co-chair for Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) presidential campaign [1], as well as a top McCain bundler [2], is one of Florida's best-known lobbyists, having represented such local institutions as the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and Florida Power & Light. His firm, Smith, Ballard & Logan, was well-known before he joined it, as his partner, Jim Smith, is not only Ballard's father-in-law but also a former Florida secretary of state and attorney general.[3] His lobbying victories are said to include a 2000 effort to persuade Gov. Jeb Bush to transfer the contract for the statewide police radio network to his client Com-Net Ericsson [4], a 2003 campaign to deliver the state lottery contract to his client GTECH [5], and a last-minute effort in 2006 to gut a law requiring detailed tracking of prescription drug shipments.[6]
Ballard's success is due to his close ties to the Florida Republican Party, beginning with his service as chief of staff for former Gov. Bob Martinez.[7] Yet his close ties have also raised eyebrows over the years. As co-chair of Crist's 2007 inauguration, he was forced to cancel plans seeking donations as large as $500,000 after public criticism that the scheme made an end-run around campaign finance laws.[8] In an earlier 2006 episode, Crist, who was at the time attorney general, was berated by a judge as a "non-party interloper" for inserting himself into a case improperly on behalf of a client of Ballard's that was facing charges of having failed to guard the state's payroll data.[9] In a third unfortunate case, Ballard unsuccessfully attempted to sneak language into a tax bill that was solely designed to prevent his own property from being declared a protected cemetery (some old graves had been found after he had purchased the home.)[10] And in a fourth episode, in 2004, Ballard was forced to give up his fees from a state-backed Alzheimer's research institute after it was reported that Florida law prohibits the use of public money to hire lobbyists who are not full-time employees. Ballard agreed to do the work pro bono.[11] As a bundler, he has raised at least $500,000 for McCain's presidential campaign, according to information released by the campaign.[12]
[1] "Senator McCain Announces Florida Finance Team," John McCain press release, February 5, 2007.
[2] Chris Cillizza, "McCain's Innovators And Trailblazers," The Washington Post, April 18, 2008.
[3] Bill Cotterell, "Meet Crist's Celebration Planners," Tallahassee Democrat, January 1, 2007.
[4] Steve Bousquet, "Crist Tie Powers Lobbyist to Top," St. Petersburg Times, February 4, 2008.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Lucy Morgan and Steve Bousquet, "Crist: Inaugural Plan Was Mistake," St. Petersburg Times, December 10, 2006.
[9] Steve Bousquet, "Judge: Crist Meddled in Case," St. Petersburg Times, April 13, 2006.
[10] Marcia Gelbart, "Lobbyist Persuades Lawmaker to Amend Bill for Own Benefit," Palm Beach Post, May 5, 2000.
[11] Steve Bousquet, "Byrd Cause Gets Free Lobbying," St. Petersburg Times, February 12, 2004.
[12] McCain campaign Web site, accessed July 16, 2008.