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Mar
5
Written by:
Jim Hansen
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Last week, Republican legislators cut short a public hearing on the public's business and boarded a private jet owned by a wealthy corporate executive. He provided the trip to escort ten Republican legislators to a partisan fundraiser in eastern Idaho. That corporation just happens to be lobbying for a bill and made sure the legislators were conveniently returned to Boise that evening. Low and behold, the vote for the bill the corporation wanted passed was up for a vote in Senate the next morning. All of the Senators who were on the plane voted for it.
The three senators who blithely walked into this conflict when they boarded the private plane on Feb. 28 were Jeff Siddoway, Mel Richardson and Steve Bair. They voted for Senate Bill 1393 on Feb. 29. The seven representatives who flew with them and will shortly consider the bill are Lenore Barrett, JoAn Wood, Ken Roberts, Tom Loertscher, Janice McGeachin, Russ Matthews and Dean Mortimer. By the way, a similar bill was defeated last year. With the right incentive, lobbyists for the bill have now seen it take off, leaving the public trust to breath its fumes.
When legislators were pressed to explain by AP reporter John Miller, they all gave different answers, which simply reinforces that standards of public accountability are not very important in this legislature. Some legislators seemed to know they might have to pay for the trip, others didn't. Rep. Barrett said she would not have gone if she knew she would have to pay. Rep. Matthews figures he can claim it as a corporate donation to his campaign fund. Problem is, the market value of a privately chartered flight is more than the $1,000 contribution limit imposed by Idaho law. The fact that none of the legislators seemed to know what the market value was before they took the trip indicates that they did not think through the obvious conflict. Perhaps they hoped it would not be made public. Rep. Mortimer, in fact, had flown on the corporation's plane to attend a political event last year but did not report it on his annual campaign finance report.
Why the attorney general is not investigating this is unknown. Perhaps
you might call the AG's office and ask. His number is 208-334-2400.
Tags:
19 comments so far...
Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
Jim,
I talked to the Secretary of State's office today - Elections. I had spoken earlier to the AP reporter who had written the story. I asked him if the kind of junket was 'normal.' He said my best bet would be to call Ben Ysursa's office and ask them. He imagined that they would say 'no.' He also got into this he's not taking sides; he is to report, not judge. (Geez, he must not watch cable news!)
So - on to Elections at the Sec. of State's office. I asked her the same question. She said it's not common, but it is done. We also talked a bit about "in-kind" contributions, and the Sunshine law. Somehow, I feel more inclined to go with the AP reporter's estimation that it's rare rather than the Sec. of State's office in thinking she may have misunderstood my question or I might have misunderstood her saying, "it not COMMON, but it is DONE." (emphasizing those two words)
Seems to me if it were all that OK, it would be done more. What do you think?
By Wordsmith on
Friday, March 07, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
Lots of legislators are given campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists so it is no great leap to accept other things like plane flights. If it is common, and the legislators seem so baffled about how to treat it (a gift, a contribution, just a perk that comes with the job?) they clearly need better rules and more education on their public trust obligations. If the only time they think about it is after a reporter tracks them down, we've got a problem.
I am concerned that the Secretary of State office and the Attorney General don't want to ruffle feathers in the legislature so waiting for a problem like this to be exposed rather than anticipating it seems to be the course of least resistance.
By Jim Hansen on
Saturday, March 08, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
[I am concerned that the Secretary of State office and the Attorney General don't want to ruffle feathers in the legislature so waiting for a problem like this to be exposed rather than anticipating it seems to be the course of least resistance.]
I don't know about the AG, Jim; I didn't talk to that office. What I'm thinking of doing is visiting both offices on Monday to clarify and find out more. The Sec. of State's office I thot was too demure.
By Wordsmith on
Saturday, March 08, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
numberman@safelink.et
Vice Co-Chair
Mini-Cassia Democrates
Minidoka Co.
Sir
How about a potition drive to get something done?
By William E. Rice on
Monday, March 10, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
Writing letters to the editor might be more effective to point out that even if taking private perks from lobbyists is "business as usual" it should not be tolerated. When standards are written and clear, we can all evaluate whether they have been transgressed. If they are vague and unwritten, then its anyone's guess what is or isn't covered. There is definitely a preference for vagueness in the statehouse.
By Jim Hansen on
Monday, March 10, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
These guys at the state level seem to be as ethically challenged as at the federal level. But that's not surprising, I guess. A repuglican is a repuglican is a repuglican, regardless of where or at what level.
By ned ludd on
Thursday, March 13, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
I think it may have more to do with the lack of vigorous competition. States where Democrats have been overwhelmingly dominant and face little competition show the same tendency to confuse public trust with the private ties they build over the years with lobbying interests.
Since this is the time period (ending March 21) where people file to run for office, it would do well for more ordinary citizens to step forward and respond to the obligation to run.
By Jim Hansen on
Thursday, March 13, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
When we the people participate in our government, we will have a democracy. Fair Elections (public-financed elections) is how to have democracy. The Fair Elections Act S.1292 is in the Senate State Affairs Committee now and has not been considered by that committee. I and others have written to the Senators on that committee, who voted No on the Fair Elections Act last session, asking them to consider the Fair Elections Act this session and send it to the Senate floor with a do-pass. This year they have not even considered the Fair Elections Act.
That my three legislators (district 35: Wood, Barrett, Siddoway) took the flight does not surprise me. Nor do their votes throughout the session surprise me. When Jeff Siddoway writes to us residents of district 35 he says: “There have been a couple of domestic elk bills introduced this year but no action on either one. I own one of those ranches. I don’t support either bill.”
He is not even aware of what the people in district 35 want. How can he know? He does not ask us. He votes for what he wants. His other votes in committee and on the Senate floor are just like the domestic elk bills. And he is much better than either Joan Wood or Lenore Hardy Barrett.
In 2006, Jeff Siddoway ran on $7,000 that he says was his money. He won and Luke Prange lost in 2006. Lenore Hardy Barrett and JoAn Wood ran unopposed in 2006. For that last 10 years or so, they have run unopposed.
I am whining just like everybody else. And I am not running for office. I am part of the problem. Until you or I run for Senator or for Representative, we will not have democracy.
By Calvin Leman on
Saturday, March 15, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
Nobody ran for Representaive in District 35. I have. Now I am not whining. I am acting.
By Calvin Leman on
Thursday, March 20, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
I stopped whining. I am a candidate. Go to http://fp1.centurytel.net/democracy/ to learn more.
By Calvin Leman on
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
Good job, Calvin! and good luck. You are absolutely right, civic participation is the only way to have our voices heard. Running for the legislature is a big step!
By Pam Baldwin on
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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Re: Breach of public trust baffes legislators
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