Speaker Ralston sets poor ethics example for Ga. legislators
House Speaker David Ralston
David Ralston, the speaker of the Georgia House, is 10 times or 100 times the leader that his predecessor was. He is smart and level-headed, which may not sound like high praise until you remember how rare that latter trait can be among state leadership.
All of which makes this deeply disappointing:
House Speaker David Ralston and his family spent part of Thanksgiving week in Europe on a $17,000 economic development mission paid for by lobbyists interested in building a high-speed train line between Atlanta and Chattanooga.
Commonwealth Research Associates, a D.C.-based consulting firm, paid for the trip, which also included Ralston’s chief of staff Spiro Amburn and his spouse, to Germany and the Netherlands the week of Nov. 21-27, according to records filed with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, formerly known as the State Ethics Commission.
The trip was the most expensive single expenditure reported by a lobbyist since at least 2005.
Ralston said the trip helped him understand how European countries have succeeded in merging rail and roads with commercial development. He said took his family with him because it was over Thanksgiving.
“I wanted to be with my family during Thanksgiving week and that was the only week I could go due to my schedule,” he said. “I wanted to be with my wife and kids. I don’t apologize for that.”
… Since the Nov. 2 election, Ralston has accepted nearly $22,000 total in gifts and meals from lobbyists, including numerous dinners, Falcons and Thrashers tickets, and a Christmas dinner for himself, his staff and their spouses.
Ralston justifies the junket by calling it “a working trip.” You don’t take your family on a working trip.
If you do happen to take your family on a working trip, you pay for them.
You often hear the admonition that government should be run more like a business. In private industry, would your employer allow you to take an all-expense-paid $17,000 trip to Europe with your family, courtesy of a potential supplier or customer? No, and the reasons are obvious.
As speaker, Ralston sets an example and an attitude that other members of the Legislature will now follow, just as Glenn Richardson set an example and attitude that his members followed. The decision shows extremely poor — surprisingly poor — judgment.
It is the act of a man in danger of becoming what he had claimed to oppose.
– Jay Bookman
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709 comments Add your comment
AmVet
January 24th, 2011
8:46 am
SoCo, I will, if required, drink Lowenbrau, Heineken, Bass, etc.
However, I rate these are the Euro equivalents to our gawdawful mass produced beers.
With no complexity or really redeeming qualities.
I, sir, am a true beer snob! (And lips that partake of cheap swill will not touch these! UNLESS…there are mitigating assets!)
barking frog
January 24th, 2011
8:49 am
Newt bashing upstairs.
Scout
January 24th, 2011
11:09 am
Southern Comfort:
Of course you wear your Christianity on your sleeve:
“Let you light so shine before men …………………. “
Scout
January 24th, 2011
11:10 am
Taxpayer:
On judging:
Matthew 18: 15-17
“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
“Judging – the Christian’s Duty”
http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/articles/judging.html
Adam
January 24th, 2011
12:29 pm
I suppose the president should never leave the confines of the White House, right?
Unless there’s an oil spill, or a shooting, or some other natural or man made disaster. In which case he should immediately be there to stop the disaster before it happens. Any other outcome is unacceptable from a President. You showed up a couple hours later? TOO LATE! Sent in the Coast Guard? Fine but YOU weren’t there!
Wanda
January 24th, 2011
6:26 pm
How old are the children? He looks too old to have little children that would want to go on a trip with him.
captguitarman
January 25th, 2011
12:28 pm
It makes me mad as hell that a Republican Speaker of the House would do something so brazen, arrogant, and cynical, as to take an all expenses paid, European, family and friends vacation (with a special interest lobbyist pushing a huge low priority project) with so many Georgians suffering (10.2% unemployment) and so many other major issues needing his immediate and focused attention. But, the lobbyist who did this knows very well that from now on, the Speaker is his, and that will always answer when the lobbysist calls, and quickly respond to his e-mails. And now, what is a low priority for all Georgians in these tough times has now been turned into a high priority for the Speaker. A lot of money, but money well spent. And any voter who does not see or understand that is a damned fool, despite what phony excuses the Speaker thinks up. The ghost of Glenn Richardson is still alive and well under the Dome. Whether led by Republicans or Democrats, the good old boy culture is alive and well under the Gold Dome, and sad to say, it is not likely that it will ever be rooted out. The last best chance of that happening would have been to bring in a new Republican governor who, while certainly not perfect, was very clear that she was going to emphasize ethics and shine a bright light on this corrupt culture and make it scurry for cover — as cockroaches do when the kitchen light is turned on. But, the Dome Pubs — all knowing what a good thing they have going for them with their new, meaningless watered down rules of ethics — rallied around a good old boy all-star, fresh from his midnight move out of Congress (in order to avoid the same type of censure Charles Rangel just faced). And now, in these perilous times for Georgia and for Atlanta, the Speaker has made a strong opening statement. He has come out and arrogantly and brazenly set the tone and demonstrated his disdain for any kind of real ethics. The good old boy culture lives on, and the Dome (and don’t forgetthe governor’s office) is open for bidness as usual. Too bad. I for one expect
Aaron
January 25th, 2011
9:52 pm
This type of abuse of office is disgusting. He should resign and a criminal investigation launched. Is this the best the state of GA can do? As a leader he sets a terrible example for assembly members.
Steve
January 25th, 2011
10:02 pm
One crooked speaker replaced by another crook. He has to go!