The Legislative Ethics Commission has all kinds of good information about the 650 registered lobbying groups in Kentucky that spent nearly $15.7 million on the General Assembly.

Let’s take a look at some of the big dogs:

• Phillip Morris $199,751
• Homophobic Law-Breaking Kentucky Farm Bureau $118,768
• Reynolds American $107,613
• National Tobacco Company $90,144
• UST Public Affairs $80,000
• Las Vegas Sands Corp $90,144
• Keenland Association $159,369

Pretty interesting that the tobacco and casino lobbies spent nearly $850,000. Now you know why the tobacco tax increase was basically non-existent. And you also know how un-powerful the casino lobby happens to be.

Health care/insurance also spent nearly $930,000. No wonder we’ll never have health care reform in the Commonwealth.

(H/T to Tom Loftus)