Don Beason earned $60,000 from a contract with IBM in 2004.
But only a fraction of those payments were given for lobbying, according to a disclosure form filed with the Secretary of State.
The form includes non-lobbying expenses, which are not normally reported by special interests. The form lists the full amount as Beason's earnings from Jan. 1 to July 18, 2004, with this handwritten foonote:
* estimate 5% of fee was for lobbying. the rest was a marketing consulting fee.
The form is signed by John A. Bernardin Jr., a South Carolina-based employee of IBM at the time.
Some campaign finance reformers have said that non-lobbying contracts are used by special interests to reward lobbyists beyond their reported salaries.
"There's definitely something going on," said Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina.
Hat Tip: Dan Kane
Document(s):
beason-IBM.pdf
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