When Is a Lobbyist Not Like a Hooker?

Answer: When he/she operates in North Carolina:

"Consensual sexual relationships do not have monetary value and therefore are not reportable as gifts or ‘reportable expenditure made for lobbying.’ However, a lobbyist or lobbyist principal’s provision of paid prostitution services by a third party to a designated individual could constitute a gift or thing of value, albeit an illegal one, depending on the particular facts.”

--North Carolina State Ethics Commission

The background, from the N&O: "In 2012, the [ethics] commission investigated two lobbyists who had intimate relationships with top aides to House Speaker Thom Tillis, according to documents The News & Observer obtained at the time. Tillis’ chief of staff resigned and his policy adviser was asked to resign.

"A key focus of that investigation, which did not result in any public penalties, was whether the lobbyists provided things of value to the public officials."