An in-depth study of lobbyists' gifts to legislators last year by the Deseret Morning News found that of the more than $115,000 spent on legislators in 2006, only around 14 percent carried legislators' names in the lobbyists' financial filings. A number of gifts cost $48 or $49, barely missing the legislator-naming threshold of $50.

In the newspaper's analysis of 2006 giving, on average, each of the 104 part-time legislators were provided $1,113 worth of gifts, while some took much more and some much less.

In lobbyists' disclosures following the 45-day 2007 Legislature, the newspaper found of the $46,000 given, only 11 percent came with a legislator's name attached.

It is the lobbyist's responsibility to report accurately what is given to legislators, not the legislators' responsibility.

Twenty years ago the post-legislative golfing group became an elitist affair, with top-notch lobbyists and legislators attending.

That group ended some time ago, and only recently has the new group started going down after the session. "No, I didn't go down to St. George," joked Becker. "And, gee, I didn't even get invited."

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com