Revise Ethics, Impress 49 States
The Tacoma News-Tribune reports on an ethics rule change by the 2003 legislature which allows for solicitation of donations during the session – as long as the donations are to help fund the National Conference of State Legislatures held in Seattle this year. Here are the two most disturbing paragraphs:
State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), co-chairwoman of the nonprofit host committee, said she didn’t know whether some companies or groups contributed because they considered the conference a lobbying opportunity.“I know the way we’ve been characterizing it when we’ve gone to talk to folks,” said Santos, who once worked as a professional fundraiser. “And that is to remind the potential donors that we have a chance to educate the lawmakers about a variety of issues that affect us locally, as well as regionally, as well as nationally.”
Politcs is about access; these companies are certainly buying access. The question, as the Tribune points out later, is whether the access is unusual in and of itself or if it is just unusual due to the publicity. Sadly, I think it is the latter.
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