Zeb Alley says veterans didn't write a spate of recent bills.

The longtime lobbyist, who works pro bono for the N.C. Veterans Council, said that group has pushed a handful of bills that would elevate the veterans commission to a Cabinet-level post, for example.

But a spate of recent bills to allow free admission to museums, among other things, comes from legislators themselves.

"Those bills are dreamed up by members of the General Assembly," he said.

Alley, an Army veteran who received a Purple Heart in Korea, said that there are a lot of veterans in the legislature, such as Reps. Grier Martin, Ric Killian and Ronnie Sutton. But he said pretty much all of the legislators are military-friendly.

"It's an easy group to lobby for because they're all anxious to help veterans," he said. "You don't have to be a veteran to be a friend of the veterans."

Every two years, the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research ranks lobbyists.

The Raleigh think tank asks legislators, lobbyists and the capital press corps who they think the most powerful lobbyists are in town.

Here's the rundown from the 2005 session, with previous rankings:

1. Don Beason of Beason Government Affairs. Always a top contender, Beason repeats from his first-place ranking of 2003 thanks to work for clients like BB&T, BellSouth and the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.

2003: 1st. 2001: 2nd. 1999: 3rd. 1997: 2nd. 1995: 3rd.

2. Zebulon Alley of Alley Associates. For the second year in a row, Alley comes in second to Beason, following an eight-year run of first place wins, with work for Progress Energy, N.C. Citizens for Justice and the N.C. Amusement Machine Association.

2003: 2nd. 2001: 1st. 1999: 1st. 1997: 1st. 1995: 1st.

For the Top Five, click "Read More."

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