Lexington Herald Leader Editorial Decries [Kentucky Legislators'] Unseemly Appeal For Lobbyist Cash, And I AGREE!
Unseemly appeal for lobbyist cash
Williams, Stumbo plan national confab
Kentucky's legislative ethics law bars lobbyists from contributing to the campaigns of legislative candidates. But a gaping loophole in the law allows lawmakers (and candidates) to solicit lobbyists on behalf of causes that have nothing to do with their elections, as long as the solicitation is not limited to lobbyists.
So, Lawmaker X legally can include John Q. Lobbyist on the lists of folks he asks to contribute to his favorite charity, the Society for the Preservation of Gimcracks.
And John Q. Lobbyist, who can't tell a gimcrack from a gewgaw but who's been around long enough to know how the Frankfort game is played, can rest assured Lawmaker X will find out whether he responds to the appeal and how large his interest in preserving gimcracks might be.
If Lawmaker X occupies a position that gives him more influence than your average legislator, well, gimcracks suddenly become an important part of John Q.'s life, so important he rushes to dig deep into his pocket change.
Otherwise, he could find future success hard to come by in the lobbying trade. And unsuccessful lobbyists generally don't have long lists of clients.
Under any reasonable ethical standards, lawmakers putting the arm on lobbyists in this manner would be considered inappropriate, even unseemly, behavior whenever it might happen. And powerful lawmakers putting the arm on lobbyists at a critical juncture in a General Assembly session with many of the most important pieces of legislation still in play would be considered downright reprehensible.
Welcome to the world of Senate President David Williams and House Speaker Greg Stumbo.
On March 23, they sent a joint missive to lobbyists, their employers and others asking for donations of up to $75,000 each to cover the costs of this summer's National Conference of State Legislators in Louisville.
The missive included details of the benefits donors would receive at contribution levels ranging from $5,000 to $75,000.
But the main benefit for responding quickly with a sizeable donation was implicit in the timing of the letter.
With just a few working days left in a session scheduled to end April 15 and with much work left undone when the letter was sent, the message was the latest twist on an old proverb about the early bird catching the worm.
This letter might as well have said it openly: "Give early, give freely and your legislation may yet find life."
Reprehensible. Yes, that's the word for it.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/14/1223035/unseemly-appeal-for-lobbyist-cash.html#ixzz0l5a4dqby
Williams, Stumbo plan national confab
Kentucky's legislative ethics law bars lobbyists from contributing to the campaigns of legislative candidates. But a gaping loophole in the law allows lawmakers (and candidates) to solicit lobbyists on behalf of causes that have nothing to do with their elections, as long as the solicitation is not limited to lobbyists.
So, Lawmaker X legally can include John Q. Lobbyist on the lists of folks he asks to contribute to his favorite charity, the Society for the Preservation of Gimcracks.
And John Q. Lobbyist, who can't tell a gimcrack from a gewgaw but who's been around long enough to know how the Frankfort game is played, can rest assured Lawmaker X will find out whether he responds to the appeal and how large his interest in preserving gimcracks might be.
If Lawmaker X occupies a position that gives him more influence than your average legislator, well, gimcracks suddenly become an important part of John Q.'s life, so important he rushes to dig deep into his pocket change.
Otherwise, he could find future success hard to come by in the lobbying trade. And unsuccessful lobbyists generally don't have long lists of clients.
Under any reasonable ethical standards, lawmakers putting the arm on lobbyists in this manner would be considered inappropriate, even unseemly, behavior whenever it might happen. And powerful lawmakers putting the arm on lobbyists at a critical juncture in a General Assembly session with many of the most important pieces of legislation still in play would be considered downright reprehensible.
Welcome to the world of Senate President David Williams and House Speaker Greg Stumbo.
On March 23, they sent a joint missive to lobbyists, their employers and others asking for donations of up to $75,000 each to cover the costs of this summer's National Conference of State Legislators in Louisville.
The missive included details of the benefits donors would receive at contribution levels ranging from $5,000 to $75,000.
But the main benefit for responding quickly with a sizeable donation was implicit in the timing of the letter.
With just a few working days left in a session scheduled to end April 15 and with much work left undone when the letter was sent, the message was the latest twist on an old proverb about the early bird catching the worm.
This letter might as well have said it openly: "Give early, give freely and your legislation may yet find life."
Reprehensible. Yes, that's the word for it.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/14/1223035/unseemly-appeal-for-lobbyist-cash.html#ixzz0l5a4dqby
Labels: Democracy for sale, Kentucky politics
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 2:32 PM
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