During the Maryland General Assembly’s 90-day legislative session this year, energy companies like Baltimore Gas and Electric, Constellation, Washington Gas and PEPCO combined to spend more than $49,000 wining-and-dining the very lawmakers who were publicly promising to intervene with rising electricity bills in the state.
The often lavish meals, which are part of a long-standing practice known as committee dinners that dates back more than 30 years, took place at upscale Annapolis eateries like Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Lewnes’ Steakhouse, a fine dining restaurant where a steak costs between $57 and $160. The events provided energy industry lobbyists the chance to talk policy with legislators over a four-star dinner and wine.
Energy companies weren’t the only ones dropping tens of thousands on politicians as they deliberated over public policy, public records show. Climate advocacy groups; the Maryland Chamber of Commerce; hospitals; nonprofits; alcohol industry leaders; trade associations for nurses, restaurateurs and chicken farmers; and many other groups also took legislators out for dinner over the last lobbying year.
They collectively spent more than $589,000 on committee dinners between November 2024 and October 2025, according to publicly-filed lobbying registrations, with the vast majority of the tally occurring between January and April, when lawmakers were working in Annapolis.
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