Columbia Tribune Publisher Henry J. Waters III, in an editorial published today, makes the same point I have made numerous times in this blog: It is time to ban all gifts from lobbyists to legislators.
He notes the claim by some legislators that more disclosure will take care of the problem is faulty. Waters writes:
"These days most gifts, even fairly small ones, must be reported, the idea being disclosure will solve everything. If the public knows, the public can bring pressure to bear. But, of course, it doesn't work except in the most egregious cases, like that of Jack Abramoff, the notorious buyer of favors on Capitol Hill with American Indian tribe money. The rest of the time, misdemeanors are routine. So, why maintain a system sure to create violators?"
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