Lobbyist Fined For Film Credit Work Involving Gov

MARK SCOLFORO

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pittsburgh-based lobbyist has been fined more than $5,000 for failing to properly disclose her efforts — including contacts with Gov. Ed Rendell — pushing for passage of Pennsylvania's $75 million film tax credit program.

The State Ethics Commission's order regarding Leslie Merrill McCombs was issued in July but not made public until this week.

Her lobbying efforts included giving Rendell and other administration officials tickets to Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games and other contacts connected to consideration of the tax credit that was approved in July 2007.

The commission said McCombs has accepted its findings that she violated the Pennsylvania lobbying law by not disclosing her ties to Santa Monica, Calif.-based Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. in a timely fashion; failing to register LHLT LLC, a lobbying firm she established; and not listing her daytime telephone number on a disclosure form related to the lobbying work she does for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Her "administrative penalty" of $5,025 amounted to $25 for each of the 201 days the parties have agreed that she worked for Lions Gate without being properly registered. She also was ordered by the commission to register LHLT LLC as a lobbying entity.