Transparency alone is not the ticket for Georgia legislators and ethics
Today is the first full day of action in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. It puts me in the mind of the Georgia Legislature — and not because they call the tournament “March Madness.”
Two years ago, when a $100 limit on lobbyist gifts was proposed, I asked a House committee chairman to explain why he opposed it. He recounted this story:
The last time the Final Four was in Atlanta (2007), by late March he’d worked a lot of late hours away from the family. As he walked toward the exit one night, a lobbyist passing by held out a pair of tickets and suggested he take his son to a game.
As one might expect, they had a grand time. Looking back, he told me, he wouldn’t have wanted to deprive his son of that experience they had together. A $100 gift limit, you see, would have left father and son to watch the game at home or pay their own way.
Remember: This was his defense of $100-plus gifts.
Lest you think this was a one-off scenario, the online records of the agency once known as the State Ethics Commission reveal that 15 legislators avoided such NCAA deprivation.
Well, at least 15: In light of the protests from legislators who say all we need is transparency, it’s worth noting this particular chairman’s name was not listed on the website. An oversight, perhaps. I wonder if there were any other such slip-ups.
Besides the transparency line, another thing some Capitol denizens would have you believe is that sneaky, tassel-loafered lobbyists are liable to come upon an unsuspecting legislator at any moment and shove a ticket or $300 meal down his or her throat.
Ahem.
Around this time last year, I was in a social setting with a lobbyist who, within a few hours, relayed to me maybe half a dozen unsolicited requests from legislators asking about tickets to this ballgame or that concert. (It didn’t occur to me to start counting until the bulletins had become fairly regular.)
Then, on Monday, I was standing next to a Senate staffer when a powerful senator walked up. He told her he deserved “credit” for pledging to get her tickets — he didn’t say to what, or from whom — had her favorite team only advanced further in last weekend’s ACC basketball tournament at Philips Arena. Suffice it to say, I didn’t get the impression this oft-lobbied senator was going to dig into his own per diem to buy the tickets.
I chose not to name names in these instances for a variety of reasons. Chief among them is that there’s no point in making this about particular personalities. This is not a matter of a few bad apples. I’m not sure most of them would consider this practice rotten, even if citizens might think their lawmakers are spoiled.
According to my review of the ethics commission’s data, since 2008 an average of 156 legislators a year — almost two-thirds of them — have accepted tickets from lobbyists to some kind of event (not counting those related to politics or policy).
Braves games, Falcons games, Bulldogs games, Yellow Jackets games, Hawks games, Thrashers games, concerts, plays, dance performances, comedy shows, the circus, the zoo, the aquarium. There’s something to appeal to everyone.
What appeals to the lobbyists is your guess. Of 1,990 ticket-related items since 2008, a grand total of 15 of them — less than eight-tenths of 1 percent — specified a bill name or number which was discussed. These tickets cost a grand total of $350,156. No one believes the purchasers spent that kind of money just because they didn’t have time during the day to ask Mr. Chairman how the kids have been doing.
Then again, maybe that transparency failure is just as well, in light of this one: With 33 of the session’s 40 days past us, not one lobbyist report mentioning the word “ticket” is available yet on the ethics commission’s website.
The Falcons played just one home game in January, but have our legislators been deprived each of the 16 times the Hawks have played here? Did 10 home games apiece for UGA and Georgia Tech (bad as those teams were) have no appeal? Did the ACC tournament get no legislator love?
Well, the Thrashers did leave town. Maybe that explains the apparent ticketlessness.
Ethics reform efforts appear stalled for this year, but supporters vow to keep at it. One possibility is a committee to study best practices around the nation and propose legislation in 2013. Even this relatively tame measure, however, has opposition.
After all, the Final Four is back in town next spring.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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117 comments Add your comment
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
March 15th, 2012
10:58 am
Off topic. Taibbi hit’s the nail on the head:
we see headlines this morning like this item from Forbes.com: “Greg Smith Quits, Should Clients Fire Goldman Sachs?”
This always had to be the endgame for reforming Wall Street. It was never going to happen by having the government sweep through and impose a wave of draconian new regulations, although a more vigorous enforcement of existing laws might have helped. Nor could the Occupy protests or even a monster wave of civil lawsuits hope to really change the screw-your-clients, screw-everybody, grab-what-you-can culture of the modern financial services industry.
Real change was always going to have to come from within Wall Street itself, and the surest way for that to happen is for the managers of pension funds and union retirement funds and other institutional investors to see that the Goldmans of the world aren’t just arrogant sleazebags, they’re also not terribly good at managing your money.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/a-goldman-executives-brave-departure-20120314#ixzz1pCIlu7W3
Kyle Wingfield
March 15th, 2012
10:59 am
ragnar: I agree it’s not “the” cure. But I think it can only improve matters.
And, to reiterate what I’ve written in the past about this topic: I would not favor a complete ban, which would invite the action to go underground. But there is no reason lobbyists can’t operate under a $100 limit. All that would change is the sense of entitlement certain legislators feel.
Don't Tread
March 15th, 2012
11:02 am
“Should Clients Fire Goldman Sachs?” Did that today, actually (not as a direct result of that article – it was already in the works at that point). Buh-bye.
DannyX
March 15th, 2012
11:02 am
“These practices predate the GOP majority; it’s just that, before, the reporting was non-existent and then only limited. And Republicans are not the only ones taking the goodies.”
Very true. Republicans did make serious ethics reform a major part of their campaign that helped them gain power. Democrats were just as bad. Whatever you, Jay, Common Cause, and the Tea Party have done has obviously not done any good. Until a few politicians lose their jobs nothing will happen.
What is plan B now that its obvious plan A was a total failure?
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
11:02 am
All you people on the “a bribe is a bribe is a bribe” bandwagon need to just do one of two things:
Stop electing people who could have their vote swayed by a $100 gift, or
Run for office yourself and quit complaining.
Your poutrage is wasted on those of us who have.
Penny Pincher
March 15th, 2012
11:05 am
“In our society, money is THE bottom line. It tops faith, frendship, family, patriotism and morality.”
Thank be to GOD that this is not the case for all people.
AmVet
March 15th, 2012
11:05 am
Thanks, AmVet, but nothing is going to change just because I (or Jay) write a few columns. Citizens and voters have to do something based on what we write, or else it’s all for naught.
Hear, hear!
The antidote to the ivory tower disease is for we the people to raise a ruckus.
Freedom is participation in power. ~Cicero
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
March 15th, 2012
11:07 am
I agree it’s not about political party. If we put the framework in place to limit such actions it will curb the bad behavior no matter who or which party is in power.
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
March 15th, 2012
11:08 am
What is plan B…
Get somebody on film or tape.
ByteMe
March 15th, 2012
11:09 am
Run for office yourself and quit complaining.
Can’t afford the pay cut.
And neither could most competent people. That’s part of the problem with cutting off the graft without giving them a raise.
ByteMe
March 15th, 2012
11:09 am
Get somebody on film or tape.
Yeah, like there’s a lobbyist willing to lose their job over this.
Forbud
March 15th, 2012
11:09 am
Simple fix: No entertainment, no gifts, no lobbyist allowed to craft any bill. Our representatives are elected to legislate what is best for the majority of the population of our state. If a special interest has input, let them submit their cause in written form that can be accessible to the public. Decisions can them be made on the merits of the legislation with out prejudice.
Penny Pincher
March 15th, 2012
11:12 am
“These crooks are the Republicans you know, love, and elected.”
If you believe this is only a Republican issue, you are a fool.
Just saying..
March 15th, 2012
11:14 am
Kyle-
Thanks for helping make my point. It’s NOT just the Republicans. I’m perfectly willing to say Democrats got there first. The Republicans were late to the party, fine. But they ARE at the party now.
It’s the Republican hypocrisy about it that drives me crazy. Many, too many, of the posters on your board (you could name them without pausing) believe that if we can only elect enough Republicans, honesty and good tidings will return to America.
You’re right, this is not a partisan issue. But it is an issue that INCLUDES Republicans. And we’ll not address the problem until more Republican zealots are able to accept that uncomfortable fact.
Kyle Wingfield
March 15th, 2012
11:16 am
DannyX: And, to be fair, they did make some strong reforms in the way of transparency. I just don’t think that’s enough, for reasons I explained in the OP.
Plan B? I think the next step is up to others. I keep hearing about primary challenges, but I have yet to hear any names (of challengers or incumbents to be challenged).
AmVet
March 15th, 2012
11:17 am
BTW, ByteMe, I like your suggestion about raising legislator’s salaries. It is a reasonable alternative to the system of legalized graft that we have now…
Kyle Wingfield
March 15th, 2012
11:19 am
Tiberius: I’m less concerned about quid pro quo — which is already illegal — than I am the relationships that build up over time and make it hard for some people to say no. And I think that’s a very human tendency — trust me, journalists have to check ourselves on this front, too — that won’t necessarily be solved by the personality of the individual holding the office.
Kyle Wingfield
March 15th, 2012
11:20 am
ByteMe @ 11:09 and earlier: You make a good point about a pay increase possibly being part of the answer. Of course, in making that calculation you have to take account of the per diem, too.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
11:28 am
Kyle, the problem with the whole “relationship” thing could be solved by either:
A. Term limits, or
B. Getting back to my first point about electing better people. In this case, you have both the GOP and Democrat legislators thinking that government action is a solution to everything. Our much ballyhooed so-called Republican legislators up here representing Forsyth County (one of the most GOP-friendly counties in America) all go around loud and proud about what legislation they create each and every session. Not a one of them say a thing about what they stopped, or heaven forbid, what they removed off the books.
If you have a legislator willing to create laws, you have a ready target for lobbyists to help craft laws that favor their clients.
Cause and effect.
ByteMe
March 15th, 2012
11:28 am
Of course, in making that calculation you have to take account of the per diem, too.
I had to go back to this article by Aaron to see what you meant:
http://www.ajc.com/news/government-waste/per-diems-a-costly-460180.html
So, yes, I agree and think they need to re-look at the per-diem system that some of them use to enrich themselves. I think $173/day for all legislators outside 60 miles from downtown is reasonable for hotel and food. $60 for anyone within that radius + mileage. No mileage for any trips other than to the capitol (do teachers get reimbursed for art supplies for their classes? Nope.).
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
11:30 am
“But there’s a reason Jay and I, and Common Cause and the tea party, took this on as a joint effort”
– Kyle
Kyle, In the interest of transparency and true journalistic objectivity what other joint ventures that You
and Jay as well as the AJC have taken on behalf of the citizens of Georgia? can you provide an explanation as to what was the ground work for such an adventure with a clearly undeniably racist political organization such as the TEA PARTY? The pure idiocy of such a admission, astounds me as well as many of the current readers. How can one possibly believe that either YOU or Jay could possibly write these daily editorial stories and remain truly objective.
You both should resign ASAP! and register as a politcal lobby. If the managment of the AJC endorses
such an arrangement, they should consider shutting down because true journalism no longer exists in that operation. Can you provide us with names of managing AJC representatives who endorsed such an unusal adventure?
If this were the NEW YORK TIMES, you both would be found in the at the local unemployment office right now!
A truly amazing Revelation! TRULY!
ByteMe
March 15th, 2012
11:31 am
Someone hand Bernie a paperbag. He’s hyperventilating.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
11:34 am
“an adventure with a clearly undeniably racist political organization such as the TEA PARTY”
Not intended to be a factual statement.
And Bernie, get your meds adjusted.
Please.
Just saying..
March 15th, 2012
11:38 am
Bernie-
I take your point, but I don’t see that Kyle and Jay signed a contract in sulphur. In a word, corruption is the issue. Opposed to it is the right position.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
11:44 am
And Bernie, if the Tea party was as supposedly racist as you believe, do you think someone as out there in left field as Bookman would work with them on an issue?
But since you obviously believe in things that aren’t real, how about answering the following questions?
1. Bigfoot – real or not?
2. World Trade Centers – airplanes or planted explosives?
3. Trump’s hair – comb-over or just a really bad stylist?
Don't Tread
March 15th, 2012
11:48 am
“clearly undeniably racist political organization such as the TEA PARTY”
Yeah, because demanding the government quit wasting our money is overwhelmingly racist.
carlosgvv
March 15th, 2012
11:49 am
Don’t tread – 10:40
Big Business will keep on cheating and scaming, politicians will keep on stealing and lying, and you will cling to your illusions of freedom. The rich and powerful are counting on you and others like you to keep the blinders on.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
11:50 am
Tiberius, why not inquire with Georgia Congressman John Lewis and allow him to explain his inetractioon with Tea Party members. I can assure there was no TEA!
Don't Tread
March 15th, 2012
11:51 am
Trump’s hair functions as an emergency roof flap that deploys automatically to keep him on the ground in case of bad wind gusts
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
11:55 am
This is like joining forces with the KKK to complain about how Bleach companies have changed an ingredient in their product that no longer makes their sheets and hoods as white.
Just saying..
March 15th, 2012
11:55 am
“Trump’s hair functions as an emergency roof flap that deploys automatically to keep him on the ground in case of bad wind gusts ”
And many gusts occur quite close by…
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
11:58 am
“Tiberius, why not inquire with Georgia Congressman John Lewis and allow him to explain his inetractioon with Tea Party members.”
Bernie, you DO realize that the whole John Lewis issue has never been proven, despite multitudes of video cameras along his entire walking route, don’t you? And yes, I do believe that someone as polarizing as John Lewis would lie about something to get sympathy for his out-of-the-mainstream positions or himself. He’s become a tragic, worthless shell whose best days are far behind him and should step down.
But it makes a sane person wonder . . .
Jefferson
March 15th, 2012
12:02 pm
In order to solve people problems, you have to change people or their behavior. Maslow’s hiarchey of needs will kick in with carbon units at some point.
Jefferson
March 15th, 2012
12:04 pm
T-I bet you phrase that differntly to different people.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
12:04 pm
Don’t Tread @ 11:51 –
Hillbilly D
March 15th, 2012
12:05 pm
A $100 gift limit, you see, would have left father and son to watch the game at home or pay their own way.
Pay their own way? What a novel idea.
At that point, one political party will control every elected Constiutional office in Georgia, the State Supreme Court and will have a minority party that will have been reduced (due to redistricting by the republican majority) to numbers that no longer have meaning.
Then things will be back to the way they were for nearly a century. Don’t take that to think I mean that’s a good thing, though.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
12:06 pm
Tiberus, My Friend, I have no reason in the world to doubt Mr.Lewis’s veracity of such a claim at ALL! This is not a MAN who is known for making such outrageous and false claims in regards to such an ACT! PERIOD! There are millions of Americans who stand behind that fact!
I suppose that beating Mr. Lewis received on that Bridge in Alabama did not happen either?
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
12:06 pm
“I bet you phrase that differntly to different people.”
You bet I phrase WHAT differently to different people?
You should know, Jefferson, that I treat everyone equally.
I have disdain for everybody!
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
12:08 pm
Bernie, you need to separate what John Lewis once did, and what he has become.
The former was a courageous young man.
The latter is a pathetic left-wing hack out of touch with reality and striving to regain his long since past relevance to society.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
12:16 pm
Tiberius, oh great one, please explain to all of us here exactly what contributions you have made besides making daily unintelligent rants of igorance that far exceeds even those of the once Governor Lester Maddox.
You my friend are akin to an empty wagon on a rocky road making a lot of noise and saying nothing.
You are not worthy enough to carry the Congressman’s dirty laundry to the cleaners.
Kyle Wingfield
March 15th, 2012
12:17 pm
Bernie @ 11:30: Jay and I agreed to write columns about ethics during this session, which we both acknowledged a couple of months ago. In addition to that, Common Cause and the tea party (along with the League of Women Voters and some other groups) also teamed up to promote ethics reform. Those are two different “joint efforts,” and I didn’t intend my earlier comment to suggest otherwise.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
12:17 pm
Kyle, The silence is DEAFENING…..
ByteMe
March 15th, 2012
12:22 pm
Kyle, Jay mentioned earlier that other newspapers in georgia were also involved. Care to explain that to Bernie and others as well?
Kyle Wingfield
March 15th, 2012
12:29 pm
ByteMe @ 12:22: I assume he was referring to the fact that other newspapers have taken up the cause of ethics reform by writing about it.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
12:30 pm
“You are not worthy enough to carry the Congressman’s dirty laundry to the cleaners.”
You’re right.
I’m better than that.
yuzeyurbrane
March 15th, 2012
12:32 pm
Something must be wrong Kyle, I agree completely with you.
Bernie
March 15th, 2012
12:33 pm
Kyle, forgive me for saying this, But there is a huge difference between agreeing to write about a specific subject matter and joining forces with a “joint effort” with a politcal organization, no matter which one. could you possibly shed some light as to what was entailed in those joint efforts. How can your readers be assured of pure journalistic objectivity in such an arrangement? I have often questioned that stance in many of writings and now I am even more apprehensive about your ability as a journalist and reporter to believe anything you write is remotely objective.
You and Jay have ventured deeply into the twilight zone here in the South on this and many issues like this. A zone where the lines are so blurred where one can easily be confused where objectivity and influence dance to very dirty music.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
12:38 pm
Bernie, get this through your head. Please.
Kyle and Jay are OPINION columnists, NOT journalists.
They are paid to have a particular slant on their stances on issues.
Your poutrage is getting pathetic.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 15th, 2012
12:39 pm
Oh, and Bernie? If you don’t like it, you can just leave. No one is stopping you.
Georgia, The " New Mississippi "
March 15th, 2012
12:58 pm
The nation is asking what the smell is that keeps coming from the Georgia legislature. They usually read / hear about it and laugh. But the pro-rich wealth-redistribution techniques in Georgia are being noticed by all except the Johnny Reb GOP that has lost their moral compass.