ASPCA Files False Lobbying Disclosures With Congress
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is perhaps most well-known for its 2008 Sarah MacLachlan commercial, which raised the group’s annual revenue by tens of millions. But the ASPCA hasn’t put that good fortune to good use.
Recent tax records show the ASPCA only gives about 2% of its budget to local pet shelters (it’s not affiliated with local SPCAs or humane societies). Meanwhile, ASPCA CEO Matt Bershadker makes over $1.2 million a year, and the ASPCA collectively pays its top executives $6.3 million a year. Oh, and the ASPCA has over $460 million sitting in investments while shelter pet euthanasia is on the rise nationally.
If hoarding money isn’t bad enough, the ASPCA has also gotten political in recent years, joining hardcore animal rights activists in supporting laws that would harm farmers and take choices away from consumers regarding the kind of animal protein they can buy.
And speaking of lobbying, we’ve got some interesting news.
For the past several years, the ASPCA has engaged in lobbying on Capitol Hill through contract lobbyists and its own staff. Federal lobbyists are required to file quarterly reports under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. These disclosures and then posted to a public database.
Just recently, the ASPCA filed a flurry of corrections to lobbying reports for its staff. For example, in July the ASPCA filed a lobbying report saying its staff spent $10,000 on lobbying in the second quarter of this year. But the ASPCA filed an amended report in late October saying it actually spent $81,000–eight times more–on lobbying during that period.
This isn’t a one-off, either.
The ASPCA “amended” its first quarter report from $10,000 to $57,000 in lobbying. And its third quarter report changed from $10,000 to $70,000.
In all, the ASPCA filed amended reports going back to 2019. In other words, the ASPCA has been filing false reports for years grossly understating how much lobbying it has been doing on Capitol Hill.
It’s one thing to file an occasional incorrect report. But to be off by eight times? To file incorrect reports for six years? This reeks.
The Department of Justice has authority to take action against violations of the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Coincidentally, the DOJ filed a lawsuit in July against California laws that increase the prices of eggs for Californians–laws supported by the ASPCA. While the DOJ is at it, perhaps the agency will take a close look at the ASPCA’s lobbying reports, too.
