Ethics reporter january, 2011



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ETHICS REPORTER
January, 2011

Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission

22 Mill Creek Park, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-9230

Phone: (502) 573-2863



http://klec.ky.gov




Over $15 million spent on 2010 lobbying


Final spending reports for 2010 show that $16.65 million was spent on lobbying the Kentucky General Assembly last year, which included a 60-day regular legislative session, and a six-day special session. Of that total, lobbyists were paid $14.3 million, and spent $1.2 million on expenses, such as office rent. 2010 employer expenses amounted to $902,000, and total spending for receptions, meals and events was $217,000.


The 2010 total is just below the $16.9 million spent on lobbying in 2008, the last year in which there was a 60-day session and a special session. 2010 lobbyist compensation was down less than three percent from 2008, while the amount spent in 2010 on receptions, meals, and events dropped by 24 percent from 2008’s total of $284,000. About $15.3 million was spent on lobbying during 2009, which included a 29-day regular session.

In 2010, there were 15 businesses and organizations which spent over $100,000 lobbying the General Assembly. The leading spender for the year was Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, and owner of a significant interest in SABMiller, the beer brewing company. Altria spent $357,433 in 2010, compared with about $248,000 in 2009.



Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) was the second-leading spender for the year, putting out $343,377 for its lobbying efforts, including more than $300,000 for phone banking. CHPA represents manufacturers and distributors of non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines. This year, the organization is sponsoring an advertising campaign on legislation relating to the purchase of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, which are used in a variety of over-the-counter medicines, and which can be used illegally to produce methamphetamine

After being the leading spender in 2009, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce dropped to third place on the 2010 list, spending $211,935. The Chamber’s total was down from the $229,000 the organization spent the year before.


University Health Care (UHC), the operator of the Passport Health Plan, was the next highest spender in 2010, spending $190,840, almost all of it on lobbyist compensation. After a review by the State Auditor and a change in management, UHC reduced its lobbying presence in the State Capitol from 13 lobbyists in 2010 to two lobbyists in 2011.

AmeriHealth Mercy, the Philadelphia-based claims processor for Passport, spent about $41,500 on 2010 lobbying. In late January, AmeriHealth Mercy agreed to pay over $2 million to Kentucky’s Medicaid program to settle a fraud inquiry into the filing of false reports by the company. The company now has four lobbyists, down from the eight employed in 2010.
The other organizations and businesses which last year spent over $100,000 on lobbying are: Kentucky Medical Association ($133,274); Houchens Industries ($132,00); Kentucky Retail Federation ($127,803); Keeneland Association ($121,661); Kentucky Hospital Association ($120,113); CSX Corporation ($116,405); Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation ($109,373); Kentucky Justice Association ($105,543); Kentucky Education Association ($105,353); Home Builders Association of Kentucky ($103,437); and Res-Care, Inc. ($100,289).

New Employers Register; Others Stop Lobbying

Since the first of January, 19 businesses or organizations are newly-registered to lobby in Kentucky. The new registrants include: Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, a subsidiary of Japan’s largest pharmaceutical company; Firstsource Solutions USA, a Mumbai, India-based company which helps businesses outsource customer services; American General Finance Management Corp., an Indiana company that provides loans and retail financing in 40 states; Greater Paducah Economic Development Council, a non-profit working to attract investment and jobs; Time Wise Management Systems, a Florida company that trains workers; and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.


Other new registrants are: Beckfield College, a Florence, Ky. for-profit college; Connections Academy, a provider of on-line or “virtual” schooling for students in grades K–12; National College, a for-profit college with six Kentucky locations; Education Management Corp., a Pittsburgh-based provider of private post-secondary education; All Things Good, a health care services entity created by Louisville chiropractor Zachary Pappas; Healthcare Distribution Management Association, which represents companies distributing prescription medicines; Kentucky Citizens Against Runner Solicitation, which apparently is opposed to in-person solicitation of medical or legal services; Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Co., which is seeking a $50 million bond issue to upgrade and re-open the Louisville amusement park; General Cigar Co., a subsidiary of Swedish Match, and the maker of Macanudo, Partagas and Cohiba cigars; Oak Grove Village, a California developer which is planning to build a large shopping mall near Ft. Campbell; Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children & Youth, a non-profit children and family services agency; Safety-Kleen Systems, a provider of environmental services and oil re-refining; and Oasis Legal Finance, which provides money to litigants in anticipation of repayment when the litigation is concluded.
Businesses and organizations which employed lobbyists in 2010, but are not registered to lobby in 2011, include: Association of Settlement Companies; Cardinal Hill Healthcare; Carespring Healthcare Management; Coalition for Charitable Gaming; Direct Marketing Association; Fresenius Medical Care North America; Invenergy; Psychiatric Solutions, Inc.; University of Louisville Foundation; University Medical Center; and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Legislators on the 2011 statewide ballot

Four members of the General Assembly are on the ballot this year, running for statewide constitutional offices. Over the years, the Legislative Ethics Commission has issued several opinions regarding campaign matters relating to legislators and lobbyists.
The Code of Legislative Ethics applies to legislators, even if they are seeking a state office other than in the General Assembly. When the Commission refers to “legislative campaigns”, that term includes any state or local campaign in which a legislator is a candidate.
In a 2005 opinion, OLEC 05-01, the Commission reiterated that the Code of Legislative Ethics prohibits a legislator from soliciting the help of a lobbyist in raising campaign funds for the legislator himself or for another candidate. OLEC 07-02 states that a lobbyist may not make a campaign contribution to a gubernatorial slate which includes a legislator.
In OLEC 06-03, the Commission responded to several questions with the following points:


  1. A member of the General Assembly may not ask or direct a lobbyist to solicit campaign contributions for a political party or a legislative campaign.




  1. An employer of a lobbyist may not ask, direct, or pay a lobbyist to solicit campaign contributions for legislative campaigns.




  1. Members of the General Assembly who participate in political party fundraising may not exercise any control over the contribution of a lobbyist or direct such contributions to particular campaigns.




  1. Lobbyists may voluntarily contribute to or co-host with legislators an event to raise contributions for a political party if the contributions are deposited in the party’s general funds and are not earmarked for a specific legislative race, provided the lobbyist is not requested by a legislator to do so.


Employers who have not filed reports due Jan.17

Several businesses and organizations which employ lobbyists have not filed spending reports for the period of September 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Those reports were due by January 17, 2011.


Reports have not been received from: American Federation of State/Municipal Employees; Columbia Sussex; Communications Workers of America; Corporex; KVC Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.; Kentucky Center for African American Heritage; Kentucky Restaurant Association; Kentucky Tax Bill Servicing, Inc.; Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Metro United Way; National Association of Social Workers, Kentucky Chapter; Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.; Premier Integrity Solutions; and Professional Transportation, Inc.


News You Can Use – from State & Federal Communications



"Study: 2010 political ads set record in negativity"

National  -  Washington Post  -  Published: 1/13/2011
The 2010 elections not only set a record for the sheer volume of political ads that appeared on television sets across the U.S., but also for the negativity of those commercials, according to an analysis of data compiled by Wesleyan University researchers. More than half of the TV spots for congressional and gubernatorial candidates that aired after September 1, typically considered the start of the general election campaign season, were judged to be purely negative ads that attacked the opposing candidate. Slightly more than 20 percent were considered to be contrast ads, which mention both the opposing and favored candidate. Only 26 percent of the ads were purely positive for the candidate airing them.

 

"The biggest factor driving negativity is competition," said Erika Franklin Fowler, an assistant professor of government at Wesleyan and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project. Fowler noted 2010 featured at least twice as many competitive races compared to a typical midterm election year, with control of Congress up for grabs.



 

The Wesleyan Media Project, which involved researchers from Wesleyan, Bowdoin College, and Washington State University, tracked and analyzed all of the broadcast TV ads that were aired by or on the behalf of federal and gubernatorial candidates in every media market in the country.

 

In an article published in the political science journal The Forum, Fowler and Travis Ridout, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project and an associate professor of political science at Washington State, determined the 2010 congressional and gubernatorial ads were the most negative of the past decade. They found 53.5 percent of ads during the 2010 election were identified as attack ads. That is compared to 44.9 percent in 2008; 32 percent in 2004; 31.9 percent in 2002; and 32.3 percent in 2000. Data were not available for 2006.  



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"Lobbyist to Serve 27 Months for Campaign Contributions Scheme"

Federal  -  The Hill  -  Published: 1/7/2011
The once powerful lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti was sentenced to 27 months in prison for making hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign donations and lying to the FEC. Magliocchetti, a former staff member on the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee who had close ties to the late U.S. Rep. John Murtha, in September pleaded guilty to one count each of making false statements, illegal conduit political contributions, and illegal corporate political donations.

 

For two decades Magliocchetti ran a top lobbying shop specializing in defense earmarks. Magliocchetti showered lawmakers with millions of dollars in campaign contributions, some of them from straw men who were illegally reimbursed for cutting the checks. The lawmakers who received the campaign cash, including Murtha and other senior appropriators such as U.S. Reps. Peter Visclosky and Jim Moran, secured millions of dollars in earmarks for PMA clients. The firm shut down after the FBI raided its offices in November 2008.



 

"Paul Magliocchetti spent half of a decade gaming the system," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer. "He concocted a massive scheme to secretly funnel money to political campaigns, all so that he could gain wealth and prestige. As today’s sentence makes clear, he must now pay a price. We will continue to bring to justice those who hide the source of campaign funds and thus damage the integrity of our election process."

 

Murtha, Visclosky, Moran, and others who received the donations were unaware of Magliocchetti's scheme, found the Justice Department investigation. At one point during the probe, Visclosky temporarily stepped down as chairperson of the House Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee after being subpoenaed by a federal grand jury investigating the now-defunct PMA Group.



 

Magliocchetti admitted that, from 2003 to 2008, he used members of his family, friends, and PMA lobbyists to make the unlawful campaign contributions. Aware of the strict limits on individual federal campaign contributions, and an outright ban on corporate donations, Magliocchetti conceded he instructed the conduits to write checks out of personal checking accounts to specific candidates for federal office and then reimbursed the individuals using personal corporate money. Magliocchetti's actions caused several lawmakers' campaign committees to file false reports with the FEC regarding the contributions they had received.

 

Magliocchetti's son, Mark, pleaded guilty to making illegal corporate contributions. He was sentenced to 14 days in prison and five and a half months of home confinement.



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"Chamber Foots Biggest Lobbying Bill of 2010's Big Spenders"

Federal  -  Roll Call  -  Published: 1/20/2011
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce continued to dominate its peers on K Street by spending a whopping $100 million on lobbying and issue advocacy ads in 2010. The business group spent less last year than in 2009, when it reported $123 million. A big chunk of the 2009 number went toward ads attacking the health care overhaul, said Bruce Josten, a lobbyist for the Chamber. "We had seven months of health care ads in ’09 and two months of it at the start in 2010," added Josten.

 

Tax issues were huge for the association at the end of 2010. The Chamber spent $36.4 million in the fourth quarter, according to Lobbying Disclosure Act reports. The Chamber also lobbied on an increase to Small Business Administration loan limits, Wall Street reform, trade agreements with South Korea and Colombia, food safety legislation, and the health care overhaul.



 

Other big spenders included defense giants such as Boeing, which shelled out $17.9 million in lobbying in 2010, an increase of $1.1 million from the previous year. The aerospace contractor is in a pitched battle to win a lucrative Pentagon contract to manufacture a new generation of aerial tankers. Northrop Grumman, a large defense company that dropped out of the bidding war for the tanker in 2010, spent $15.7 million on lobbying last year, up from $15.2 million in 2009.

  

General Motors, which emerged from bankruptcy last year, stepped up its federal lobbying. It spent $9.9 million in 2010, an increase of $1.3 million from the previous year.



 

"Ethics Training for Lobbyists Starts"

Alabama  -  Gadsden Times  -  Published: 1/19/2011
The first training session for lobbyists on the 2010 ethics law updates was held January 24 in Montgomery, and three more are planned this year, said Alabama Ethics Commission Director James Sumner. The state’s 654 registered lobbyists are required to attend a seminar on the revisions approved during a December special legislative session. "They all have to be trained or they can't lobby the Legislature," said Sumner.

  

"I don’t see anything wrong with it," said Alabama Education Association Executive Secretary Paul Hubbert. "Certainly it may keep people from doing anything egregious. Obviously, the laws have twists and turns in them that need explaining."



 

Mark Jackson, a lobbyist for the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, said many of the new ethics changes are common sense, but there also are legal requirements and prohibitions. Since the laws are new, some changes may be confusing

 

"We'll talk about what can and can’t be done in terms of entertainment," said Sumner. "We will expose them to essentially the sections that have to do with lobbying, and we’ll also talk about what a conflict-of-interest is, what the use of office for personal gain is. We want them to be able to recognize it if a public official is asking them for something."



  

Several lobbyists and four state senators were indicted last fall on federal bribery charges in an alleged vote-buying scheme. Also indicted were bingo casino owners and their representatives. Except for one lobbyist, Jarrod Massey, the others pleaded not guilty.



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"Former Lobbyist Surrenders, Will Begin Jail Time"

Alabama  -  Montgomery Adverrtiser  -  Published: 1/20/2011
Former casino lobbyist Jarrod Massey became the first person to go to prison in Alabama's gambling corruption case when he turned himself in to get an early start on a sentence that will not be determined until after he testifies against two powerful gaming developers. Massey was one of 11 people arrested in October on charges of buying and selling votes on pro-gambling legislation. Besides the developers, the defendants included two other lobbyists and four present and former legislators.

 

Massey, who lobbied for the Country Crossing casino in Dothan, pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges involving $1 million offers to some lawmakers to support a pro-gambling bill. He agreed to help federal prosecutors at the April trial of the other 10 defendants. In an unusual move, he got permission from a federal judge to begin his punishment before his official sentencing in September. Massey filed court papers seeking the early imprisonment because he expects a significant sentence. He could receive up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on his one conspiracy plea and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of his five bribery pleas.



 

Country Crossing, Massey’s largest client, was a resort development near the Alabama-Florida line that offered electronic bingo machines, restaurants, and a concert amphitheater. Several well-known country music entertainers, including George Jones, Tracy Lawrence, and Darryl Worley, were involved in the development and joined Massey in Montgomery to support the pro-gambling legislation. None of the entertainers was accused of any wrongdoing.

Massey was the second person from his firm, Mantra Governmental, to plead guilty in the case and agree to cooperate with prosecutors. Jennifer Pouncy, who also lobbied for Country Crossing, pleaded guilty in September to conspiring to offer bribes to legislators to support gambling legislation. She is scheduled for sentencing in August. Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley and one of the investors in his resort project, VictoryLand casino owner Milton McGregor, are among the 10 awaiting trial, along with VictoryLand lobbyists Bob Geddie and Tom Coker. All have pleaded not guilty.

  

In his plea agreement, Massey described meetings and phone calls involving Gilley and McGregor as they sought to pass legislation designed to let their casinos keep operating the highly profitable machines. He admitted offering $1 million each to two legislators and smaller amounts to three other legislators, as well as authorizing Pouncy to make a $2 million offer.



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"Gaffey Case Prompts Renewed Call for an Ethics Committee"

Connecticut  -  Connecticut Mirror  -  Published: 1/18/2011
The recent resignation and guilty plea of Connecticut Sen. Thomas Gaffey has prompted renewed calls for creation of a permanent committee to investigate complaints of misconduct against legislators – and renewed opposition from some leaders. "I think establishing a standing committee would set a dangerous precedent, leading us down a slippery slope," said Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, who fears the committee and investigations would be used for political gain.

 

The issue has been framed in recent years by charges of ethical and criminal misconduct against senators. In 2007, then-Senate Minority Leader Louis DeLuca pleaded guilty to hiring someone to threaten his granddaughter's husband; he later resigned his seat. Gaffey pleaded guilty to larceny for double-billing the state and his PAC for out-of-state travel, reportedly to cover the cost of a girlfriend who accompanied him. The scandal spotlight has also fallen on Sen. Joseph Crisco for inducing someone to forge a signature on a campaign finance form.



  

"Elected officials too often break their vow to the public and it takes too long for anything to happen," said Senate Minority Leader John McKinney. "… The perception of the public is that we are protecting ourselves."



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"Ralston, Staff, and Families Took $17,000 Lobbyist-Funded Trip to Germany"

Georgia  -  Atlanta Journal-Constitution  -  Published: 1/21/2011
Georgia 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 Washington, 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, 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," said Ralston. "I wanted to be with my wife and kids. I don't apologize for that."

Ralston's spokesperson, Marshall Guest, said the $17,000 cost, which included $14,709 for airfare and train tickets, and $2,570 for lodging, covered the six people on the trip. Watchdogs slammed Ralston for the trip, saying it demonstrates the need for a cap on the amount lobbyists are allowed to spend on lawmakers. Ralston, who last year sponsored the state's first ethics legislation in several years, has long favored having lobbyists disclose what they spend on lawmakers, rather than limit the spending.

 

Those new rules increased lobbyist reporting to once every two weeks while lawmakers in session as compared to once a month under the old rules. Ralston's European trip was included in Commonwealth's disclosure report filed January 14. Since 2005 – which is far back as the state’s electronic records go – only once has an individual received a gift of more than $10,000 from a lobbyist. In 2009, then-Gov. Sonny Perdue and members of his staff each received $12,000 worth of travel on an IBM-owned aircraft for a trip to New York.



 

Since the November 2 election, Ralston has accepted nearly $22,000 total in gifts and meals from lobbyists, including numerous dinners, Atlanta Falcons and Thrashers tickets, and a Christmas dinner for himself, his staff, and their spouses. Among the special interests spending on the speaker are the University System of Georgia, Delta Air Lines, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, CSX Transportation, AT&T, and the Outdoor Advertising Association.

 

Commonwealth Research Associates has done work on six proposed U.S. rail projects, including plans for a magnetic levitation train to run between Atlanta and Chattanooga, according to its Web site. Georgia and Tennessee received a $14 million federal grant to study the issue but have not yet come up with the local matching money necessary to conduct an environmental impact study. Chris Brady, Commonwealth's registered lobbyist, did not respond to requests for an interview but provided The Atlanta Journal-Constitution with an itinerary and report on the trip.



 

Ralston said he is interested in ways to replicate the Europeans' work along the I-75 corridor north of Atlanta and how the highway links Chattanooga and Atlanta. No matter what Ralston learned on the trip, it is still an affront to taxpayers, said watchdogs.

 

"This is a prime example of the need for our ethics proposals," said Georgia Common Cause Executive Director William Perry. "The public is tired of the perception of the luxury lifestyle of legislators."



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"Some Hotel Deals Nixed for Legislators"

Maryland  -  The Capital  -  Published: 1/11/2011
The Maryland General Assembly's ethics counsel, William Somerville, has warned legislators about accepting offers from Annapolis hotels for a free second bedroom when they stay in town for the 90-day session. In a letter sent to managers of city hotels, Somerville discussed the offering of additional bedrooms to legislators staying in Annapolis at state expense. According to the letter, the extra rooms, suggested for legislative aides, could violate the state's ethics law. "It can be viewed as a fairly sizable gift to a state employee," said Somerville.

 

In general, lawmakers are allowed to accept discounts and other benefits that are offered to the public as well. "Marketing incentives available to every customer are not 'gifts' subject to the restrictions of the ethics law," said Somerville's letter.



Legislators are allowed to accept a two-room suite as long as the second room is set up as an office or sitting area and not as a bedroom. Staff should only use accommodations such as a foldout sofa in case of bad weather, stated the letter. "Providing ongoing accommodations to a legislative aide is not an acceptable use of General Assembly funds," wrote Somerville.

 

There have been other recent changes to legislator lodging rules. The state's Legislative Policy Committee voted to require reimbursement for lodging other than in a hotel or motel to be approved in advance by the Senate president or House speaker. The lawmaker involved also must disclose to the General Assembly's ethics adviser if there is a known financial, familial, or personal relationship with the owner of the property before a recommendation is issued on whether the lodging should be approved.



 

The new policy was a response to the discovery that former Del. Joseph Bartlett paid tens of thousands of state dollars to his girlfriend for rent over the past several years during the 90-day General Assembly session. Bartlett did not seek re-election in November.



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"Casino Groups Spent $3 Million Lobbying Massachusetts Lawmakers"

Massachusetts  -  Bloomberg News (wwww.bloomberg.com)  -  Published: 1/19/2011
Gambling interests are doling out millions of dollars trying to sway the minds of Massachusetts lawmakers, a flood of spending that continued even after a casino deal between Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Robert DeLeo collapsed last summer. An Associated Press review of lobbying records filed with the secretary of state's office found nearly three dozen companies and organizations spent more than $3 million lobbying legislators in 2010. That is a jump from 2009, when gambling interests spent $2.5 million. It is also double $1.5 million spent in 2008, according to The AP review.

 

The top spender was Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which runs the Suffolk Downs racetrack. The racetrack spent more than $850,000 trying to persuade lawmakers to approve expanded gambling. The money not only included the salaries of lobbyists but also the cost of polling, public relations consulting, advertising, development of a Web site, and the printing of brochures, hats, and T-shirts. The racetrack hopes to open a so-called resort-style casino with entertainment venues, hotels, and a retail complex.



 

Suffolk Downs was not alone. Among the other top spenders was the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, which spent more than $155,000, Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which spent $180,000, and the Las Vegas-based Development Associates, which spent $315,560.

 

The lobbying was not limited just to casino operators. Companies that manufacture slot machines and other gaming devices and a union representing hotel and restaurant workers also hired lobbyists to press their case.



   

Overall, businesses, unions, and other groups spent more than $115 million on lobbying in 2010, up from $96 million in 2009. Of that amount, $91.7 million went into the paychecks of lobbyists; another $22.5 million went to expenses like consulting and meals. Lobbyists also made $1.4 million in direct contributions to lawmaker's campaigns.


"Wilkerson Receives Three-and-a-Half Years in Prison"

Massachusetts  -  Boston Globe  -  Published: 1/7/2011
Brushing aside pleas for mercy, a federal judge sentenced former state Senator Dianne Wilkerson yesterday to three-and-one-half years in prison for taking $23,500 in bribes, saying too many Massachusetts politicians engage in political corruption without fear of serious consequences. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Woodlock agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney John McNeil, who argued state politics have become so cynical that two former House speakers convicted of federal crimes, Charles Flaherty and Thomas Finneran, were "welcomed back like they were some sort of heroes" at a recent statehouse ceremony. Neither Flaherty nor Finneran was sentenced to prison.

 

"It's clear the sentencing imposed for criminal conduct here and, frankly, in other industrial states, hasn't been sufficient," said Woodlock. He acknowledged the service that Wilkerson, a state senator for 16 years and the first black woman elected to that chamber, had provided to the state.



 

But Wilkerson's 1997 federal conviction for failing to file her income taxes for two years, her repeated campaign finance violations as a senator, and other ethical lapses demonstrated she was "financially embarrassed and fiscally incontinent," said Woodlock.

   

U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz rejected the comparisons with the former House speakers. She said Finneran, who was convicted of obstruction of justice and disbarred, and Flaherty, who was convicted of tax evasion, had both been first-time offenders. Wilkerson's conviction on bribery charges, Ortiz said, followed her conviction for failing to pay taxes.



  

In a scandal that rocked the statehouse and Boston City Hall, Wilkerson took eight cash payments in 2007 and 2008 from businessperson Ronald Wilburn, who was secretly cooperating with the FBI, and from undercover agents. The money was to secure a liquor license for a nightclub and legislation to pave the way for a commercial development in Wilkerson’s district. She was caught on some of 150 secret audio and video recordings saying she intended to use some of the cash at Foxwoods Resort Casino and to mount a sticker campaign after she lost a fiercely contested primary in the fall of 2008, said prosecutors.



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"Lobbyists Shower State Lawmakers with Cash, Study Shows"

Ohio  -  Columbus Dispatch  -  Published: 1/18/2011
Legislative lobbyists spent $202,186 on gifts and meals for lawmakers from January 2009 until August 2010, the most recent data available, according to a report from Ohio Citizen Action. But lobbyists shelled out $738,465 in campaign contributions during the 2009-2010 legislative session, said the study. Campaign money from the lobbying community extends much further than direct donations, according to the study, titled Lobbyists – Affluence & Influence.

 

"There are more than 90 lobbying firms active in Ohio," said the study. "Together, these firms contributed $138,235 to statewide and legislative candidates. Contract lobbyists associated with these firms contributed an additional $776,287. Law firms that specialize in government relations contributed $1,047,661 and contract lobbyists associated with these firms contributed an additional $383,854. All together, these 'hired guns' contributed $2,346,037."



 

But the state only tracks the entertainment outlays by lobbyists. Getting their campaign contributions requires plugging in their names and firms individually in the secretary of state's database. "At this point, [filing of lobbyists expenditures] is not really where the action is – we need more meaningful disclosure," said Catherine Turcer, director of Citizen Action’s Money in Politics Project.

 

By far the biggest target of lobbying activity was the $50 billion state budget passed in 2009, according to the report. But Ohio law requires lobbyists only to make public which bills they are lobbying on, not specific provisions or whether they are advocating passage or defeat.



 

Sean Dunn gave legislators and General Assembly candidates the most campaign cash of any single lobbyist: $44,319, said Citizen Action. He was one of 15 lobbyists who donated at least $10,000 to lawmakers' campaign coffers.

  

The study also examined the donations of those who employ lobbyists. Forty-five percent of the campaign contributions from registered employers of lobbyists to lawmakers and legislative candidates came from unions; 10 percent from health-care industry; six percent from financial firms, lawyers, and the energy sector; and five percent from insurance, said Citizen Action.



 

Turcer made several reform recommendations, including prohibiting lobbyists from acting as fundraisers for lawmakers, barring lobbyists from hosting fundraisers for legislators and from soliciting contributions, and reinstating a "revolving-door" prohibition to bar former legislators from lobbying for a specified period of time after leaving office.



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"Contract Signing Delayed for Oklahoma Juvenile Center Linked to Senator-Lobbyist Affair"

Oklahoma  -  The Oklahoman  -  Published: 1/12/2011
The multimillion-dollar deal for a new state juvenile detention center in Oklahoma linked to a senator and lobbyist's romantic affair has been delayed again. A planned signing on January 7 of a $10 million-a-year state contract for the juvenile center was called off at the last minute amid concerns from House Speaker Kris Steele. He said he asked Office of Juvenile Affairs Director Gene Christian to delay the signing because he is concerned the contract may not fulfill what the Legislature wanted when it asked the agency to build a new juvenile center.
"I'm not accusing anybody of anything, but I do think it's important that I meet with Director Christian and the other interested parties to ensure the contract has been handled appropriately," said Steele.

 

The contract has been dogged by criticism since it was revealed that Sen. Harry Coates and lobbyist Haley Atwood were having an extramarital affair while working to help clients of Atwood win the contract. Christian last year announced plans to award the contract to an Ada group working with a private juvenile academy operator and an architecture firm that were clients of Atwood and favored by Coates.


When Coates and Atwood's affair became public, failed bidders alleged Coates, Atwood, and Christian had rigged the bidding to favor the Ada group. An attorney general’s review of the bidding for the contract found the affair could not have influenced bidding.

 
"Ex-Del. Hamilton Pleads Not Guilty in Bribery Case"



Virginia  -  The Virginian-Pilot  -  Published: 1/14/2011
Former Virginia Del. Phil Hamilton pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and extortion charges. His trial is scheduled to begin May 2. Hamilton lost his re-election bid in 2009 after 21 years in the House following revelations he arranged a $40,000-a-year job for himself at Old Dominion University (ODU) while helping secure state funding for the position.

 

If convicted, Hamilton faces up to 30 years in prison. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of the roughly $80,000 that he received from ODU. Hamilton, a retired teacher and school administrator, remains free on bond. His indictment by a grand jury in Richmond came after a 16-month FBI investigation.



 

Hamilton’s relationship with ODU also sparked an ethics investigation by the House. That inquiry was halted when Hamilton resigned his seat after his election defeat in November 2009, prompting an overhaul of the Legislature’s ethics rules last year.

 

The federal indictment alleges that from August 2006 through February 2007, Hamilton solicited employees of ODU for a position as director of a new teacher training initiative, the Center for Teacher Quality and Educational Leadership. At the same time, according to the indictment, Hamilton introduced legislation that would establish and fund the center, including his salary as director.



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"House Unanimously Passes Ethics Bill"

West Virginia  -  Charleston Gazette  -  Published: 1/19/2011
Public officials and candidates would have to reveal more details about their finances under a bill passed unanimously by the West Virginia House of Delegates. House Bill 2464, which now heads to the Senate, also would make lawmakers and high-ranking state officials wait a year to become lobbyists after leaving public office.

 

According to the proposal, public officials and candidates would have to fill out more detailed financial disclosure statements. For instance, they would have to describe their job duties and say whether they or their spouses serve on any business's board of directors. They also would have to disclose their spouses' financial interests and name dependents who are older than 18.



 

Under the bill, the state Ethics Commission would publish the names, either in print or on-line, of those who miss deadlines for filing disclosure statements. Beginning in 2012, the commission also would have to post on-line disclosure statements of legislators, statewide elected officials, and state Supreme Court justices, as well as candidates for those offices.

 

People can request these records from the Ethics Commission now, but on-line postings will make it easier, said House Judiciary Committee Chairperson Tim Miley. "This just provides greater ease of transparency and access," said Miley.  



 

The Ethics Commission asked legislators to consider tougher rules after the Center for Public Integrity, a national watchdog organization, gave West Virginia a grade of "F" for its disclosure laws in 2009.


Ethics in the News from the National Conference of State Legislatures
IDAHO -- The House Ethics Committee scheduled an executive session which will be closed to the public, for preliminary review of two ethics complaints submitted by citizens.  According to House ethics rules, citizens cannot submit complaints.  However, if the committee finds the complaints to be valid, a House member will most likely file a complaint for review. The Spokesman-Review

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2011/jan/11/house-ethics-committee-hold-first-closed-meeting-heres-why/
MAINE -- Among the recommendations proposed by the executive director of the state ethics commission is a change that would allow the ethics commission to initiate investigations of possible violations of legislative ethics on its own, even if a complaint is not filed. Morning Sentinel http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/ethics-staff-suggesting-changes_2011-01-02.html
NEVADA  -- The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case on recusal laws in Nevada as part of a decision on whether states may prohibit government officials from voting on issues where they appear to have a conflict of interest. The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/us/politics/08scotus.html?_r=1

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- Republican house members have accused and attempted to remove the Democratic House floor leader, who is also executive director of the state Democratic Party, for allegedly acting as an advocate for the Democratic Party, taking fees, and filing legislation that benefits the Party.  Democratic legislators have condemned Republican accusations, calling for due process. Concord Monitor http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/233508/dems-call-for-due-process

NEW MEXICO -- Commentary:“There is one area of policy on which the new governor and legislators in both parties should be able to agree – the need for comprehensive campaign and ethics reform.”
NMPolitics.net  
http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2011/01/time-for-comprehensive-campaign-and-ethics-reform/

NEW YORK -- In his State of the State address, Gov. Cuomo called for a transformation of the ethical environment in Albany, declaring “it’s time to pass ethics reform and it is time to pass ethics reform now.” LegislativeGazette.com

http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-c-2011-01-07-73916.113122-Gov-Cuomos-State-of-the-State-address.html
TEXAS -- The Texas Observer analyzed campaign data filed with the Texas Ethics Commission and found that numerous legislators use campaign money to pay for their “luxuries lifestyles.” In Texas, campaign money can legally be used for travel as long as it is connected to state business in some way. The Observer also found that a few legislators violated the law by using campaign money for personal expenses. Texas Observer

http://www.texasobserver.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=17251:lifestyles-of-the-corrupt-and-elected&Itemid=1951

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