Members of the 2010 state legislature took in more than $250,000 in gifts last year -- a 24 percent decline from the previous year.
The Virginia Public Safety Alliance was the largest gifter in this year's reports, shelling out $11,882, according to a report released today by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan watchdog of money in politics.
VPSA was followed by Dominion with $11,735 and the China-US Exchange Foundation, with $11,496. That money paid for a trip to China for Sen. Chuck Colgan and his spouse.
These gifts are included in the annual Statement of Economic Interest disclosures, which legislators are required to file by Jan. 8 each year.
The reports filed this year cover gifts that exceed $50 in value and trips that exceed $200 in value.
David Poole of VPAP attributed the overall decline in gifts to two factors: First, 21 of the 139 state legislators are new, and their gifts totaled only $65; second, it appears lobbyists cut back on the number of big receptions in 2009.
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