Portland's City Auditor Simone Rede has dropped the hammer on Zenith Energy for its 2022 lobbying faux pas, according to an official release on the city's website. The energy company, specializing in the storage and transport of fuel products, got caught skipping out on mandatory registration and reporting of its lobbying activities involving City officials. The investigation, sprouting from a complaint received in August 2023, uncovered that Zenith tipped the scales by surpassing eight hours of lobbying time without filing the requisite paperwork.
It seems Zenith, which got turned away in 2021 for a crucial Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS) permit for not being up to snuff with the City's climate objectives, didn't learn its lesson, because, during its second successful run at the permit in 2022, they cozied up to city bigwigs through site tours and meetings in an attempt to charm their way to approval. The City's regulations have clear rules, outlined in City Code Chapter 2.12, which mandates entities like Zenith, which engage in lobbying activities, to register and report once they lob more than 8 hours or cough up more than $1,000 within any quarter in their lobbying crusades, but the company dropped the ball, neglecting to inform the City of its maneuvers.
In her sit-down with the press, City Auditor Rede didn't mince words, "Portlanders can thank the complainant for raising their concern to the City Elections Office. The public deserves to know who is trying to influence City decisions. That’s why lobbyist registration and reporting requirements exist." The auditor's office has put Zenith on blast, posting a warning letter on the Elections office's webpage for all to see.
The Auditor's Office is rolling out the welcome mat for any other entities that expect to cross the lobbying threshold, reminding them to register at the year's kickoff to avoid Zenith's fate. With registration and reporting free and easily accessible online, there's no excuse for companies not to stay on the straight and narrow.
