Asleep on the watch
As most any day on US 70 will attest, most of us are tempted to exceed the speed limit if we believe we won’t get caught. Not only will most of us speed, some will take it to truly dangerous levels. Even after law officers step up enforcement for a week or two, it doesn’t take long for the feet to get leaden again.
Similarly our legislators seemed righteous in trying to slow down their bent for accepting gifts and favors from lobbyists after a public outcry. After things quieted down, they slipped out of Raleigh last week after passing what former Superior Court Judge and chairman of the NC Board of Ethics Robert Farmer described as “pretend ethics.”
I accept, along with my colleagues in the media, the responsibility for not making sure that the legislature felt the pressure to pass meaningful legislation. I pledge, and call on my colleagues to pledge, to let legislators know that what they have done is unacceptable.
The NC Press Association is particularly incensed by the arrogance of the legislature in saying that any ethics violation under investigation won’t be publicly discussed. You don’t have a right to know about any ethics complaint until and unless their fellow legislators who sit on the legislature’s ethics committee impose sanctions. The NCPA Legal Counsel credits the Democratic Party leadership with crafting this protection for the legislators.
Particularly galling to me is the way in which the legislation came to the floor. Instead of legislation which is debated in committee and comes to the floor with arguments for and against, the Democratic Party leadership meets behind closed doors and puts together something and then schedules it for an immediate vote, all as legislators are weary and ready for adjournment on the last days of the session. That has been the way the legislature has done business with controversial measures for too many years.
Perhaps most egregious is their unwillingness to have a truly independent voice looking over their shoulder. They want their friends looking out for them, as if that has worked in the past.
They aren’t acting like a legislature who the press and public have put on notice. It sounds more like business as usual; the legislature continuing to do what they darn well please.
House Speaker Jim Black, a Democrat, has been at the center of much of the ethics controversy. His unpaid political director wined and dined lawmakers while collecting monies from her real (and publicly undisclosed) boss, a major lottery vendor. The passage of the lottery, while key objectors were away and who didn’t bother to log in to oppose, smacks of another deal worked out behind closed doors, and suggests lottery money greased some consciences.
Contributions solicited by Black were directed to others, with names written in on the checks by him. A Republican, Michael Decker, switched parties to support Black and keep him as speaker. Black is said to have funneled campaign funds to Decker, who later used campaign money to go to Florida to pick up a car, also bought with campaign money.
Trips, liquor, ACC basketball tickets, golf outings and more are on the gift lists that lobbyists provide our legislators, not to mention the money that flows to our politicians. While there is recognition that the temptations are too great to resist, the legislation which lawmakers enacted had too many loopholes. There are already suggestions that lawmakers aren’t disclosing what they are getting from lobbyists.
Attorney General Roy Cooper, in a letter in May, said in the past five years prosecutors and SBI agents had investigated 350 public corruption cases. He complained that a lack of teeth in enabling legislation hinders further prosecutions and helps hide wrongdoing. He calls for change to give prosecutors the right to call for grand juries, penalties for lying to SBI agents, and greater financial disclosure requirements for those in government.
He goes on to say in advocating for ethics reform, “corruption can happen when powerful public officials have complete control without having to answer tough questions.”
It’s a long time before the legislature goes back into session, but we need to start calling our legislators to account for their actions now. They are going to be asking for our votes; we have a right to ask for their answers to our tough questions.
Let’s be clear: while the Democratic Party leadership may have to claim authorship for what did or didn’t pass in the legislature, the final legislation passed 111-2. The steps outside the legislature weren’t filled with Republican voices protesting what passed. They have to accept the record of what they voted for.
If we let them know that what passed doesn’t pass for ethics legislation, maybe we can help government clean up, letting them know we really are watching what they do and will vote accordingly. And we’re not asleep on the watch.
Similarly our legislators seemed righteous in trying to slow down their bent for accepting gifts and favors from lobbyists after a public outcry. After things quieted down, they slipped out of Raleigh last week after passing what former Superior Court Judge and chairman of the NC Board of Ethics Robert Farmer described as “pretend ethics.”
I accept, along with my colleagues in the media, the responsibility for not making sure that the legislature felt the pressure to pass meaningful legislation. I pledge, and call on my colleagues to pledge, to let legislators know that what they have done is unacceptable.
The NC Press Association is particularly incensed by the arrogance of the legislature in saying that any ethics violation under investigation won’t be publicly discussed. You don’t have a right to know about any ethics complaint until and unless their fellow legislators who sit on the legislature’s ethics committee impose sanctions. The NCPA Legal Counsel credits the Democratic Party leadership with crafting this protection for the legislators.
Particularly galling to me is the way in which the legislation came to the floor. Instead of legislation which is debated in committee and comes to the floor with arguments for and against, the Democratic Party leadership meets behind closed doors and puts together something and then schedules it for an immediate vote, all as legislators are weary and ready for adjournment on the last days of the session. That has been the way the legislature has done business with controversial measures for too many years.
Perhaps most egregious is their unwillingness to have a truly independent voice looking over their shoulder. They want their friends looking out for them, as if that has worked in the past.
They aren’t acting like a legislature who the press and public have put on notice. It sounds more like business as usual; the legislature continuing to do what they darn well please.
House Speaker Jim Black, a Democrat, has been at the center of much of the ethics controversy. His unpaid political director wined and dined lawmakers while collecting monies from her real (and publicly undisclosed) boss, a major lottery vendor. The passage of the lottery, while key objectors were away and who didn’t bother to log in to oppose, smacks of another deal worked out behind closed doors, and suggests lottery money greased some consciences.
Contributions solicited by Black were directed to others, with names written in on the checks by him. A Republican, Michael Decker, switched parties to support Black and keep him as speaker. Black is said to have funneled campaign funds to Decker, who later used campaign money to go to Florida to pick up a car, also bought with campaign money.
Trips, liquor, ACC basketball tickets, golf outings and more are on the gift lists that lobbyists provide our legislators, not to mention the money that flows to our politicians. While there is recognition that the temptations are too great to resist, the legislation which lawmakers enacted had too many loopholes. There are already suggestions that lawmakers aren’t disclosing what they are getting from lobbyists.
Attorney General Roy Cooper, in a letter in May, said in the past five years prosecutors and SBI agents had investigated 350 public corruption cases. He complained that a lack of teeth in enabling legislation hinders further prosecutions and helps hide wrongdoing. He calls for change to give prosecutors the right to call for grand juries, penalties for lying to SBI agents, and greater financial disclosure requirements for those in government.
He goes on to say in advocating for ethics reform, “corruption can happen when powerful public officials have complete control without having to answer tough questions.”
It’s a long time before the legislature goes back into session, but we need to start calling our legislators to account for their actions now. They are going to be asking for our votes; we have a right to ask for their answers to our tough questions.
Let’s be clear: while the Democratic Party leadership may have to claim authorship for what did or didn’t pass in the legislature, the final legislation passed 111-2. The steps outside the legislature weren’t filled with Republican voices protesting what passed. They have to accept the record of what they voted for.
If we let them know that what passed doesn’t pass for ethics legislation, maybe we can help government clean up, letting them know we really are watching what they do and will vote accordingly. And we’re not asleep on the watch.
posted by Barry | 2:35 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home