Former state Sen. Robling to lobby for Scott County
Former state Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan, has been hired to lobby for Scott County.
Robling, who didn't run for re-election in 2012, has been hired by the county to serve as legislative and communications coordinator. Scott County Administrator Gary Shelton says Robling will work on a part-time basis lobbying the Capitol and doing communications for the county.
"She's certainly well qualified in terms of the legislative piece," Shelton said. "But also with her background in journalism, she was the editor of a local paper. She knows the county well. She's a good fit for that position."
Shelton said Robling will earn a salary of $40 an hour and will work 25 hours a week ($52,000 annual salary). She'll be expected to coordinate the county's social media policy and write the newsletter. Robling told MPR News in December that she contracted with Scott County to write the county newsletter for the past 24 years at a salary of roughly $7,000 a year.
Robling is the latest state lawmaker to join the lobbying ranks. Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, resigned his position in the Minnesota House last week to lobby for St. Louis Park-based Center for Diagnostic Imaging. Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, also resigned last week to lead legislative efforts for the Chicago-based Uniform Laws Commission in Chicago.
Robling served as chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee when Republicans controlled the Legislature in 2011 and 2012.
Bipartisan efforts to limit lawmakers from lobbying at the State Capitol have repeatedly failed in past years. The so-called revolving door legislation would require lawmakers to wait a specified amount of time before they can become lobbyists.
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