The 2006 legislative session was a disappointment, according to an article in today's Kansas City Star.
My favorite part of the article had to be Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, criticizing the so-called ethics bill, which will allow unlimited campaign contributions.
"This is a feel-good ethics bill and allows them to keep buying elections," the article quotes Ms. Coleman as saying.
In the Nov. 21, 2005, Turner Report I noted Ms. Coleman had received more gifts from lobbyists than all senators except Majority Whip David Klindt, R-Bethany.
She received gifts totaling $3,395.55, according to Missouri Ethics Commission documents, including $912 for entertainment (for a total of four occasions) and $977.38 overall from John Bardgett, lobbyist for John Bardgett & Associates.
Other items on Ms. Coleman's list include $200 for entertainment from John Sondag of Southwestern Bell on Feb. 5, $124.27 for meals, food and beverage from Steven Carroll, lobbyist for the St. Louis City School Board, $161.11 for Kent Gaines, lobbyist for the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District, Monsanto, and the Kansas City Chiefs, among others, on March 16, an additional $357.40, including $170 for entertainment and $187.40 for meals, food and beverage from Sondag on April 2, and $235.22 for travel from Richard Doherty, lobbyist for Harrah's Casino on Aug. 23.
She has taken less in gifts from lobbyists during the first three months of 2006, about $649, but that is still substantially more than many legislators.
Her campaign finance documents also show a number of large donations from these committees that were the target of the ethics bill.
There are people who have credibility criticizing the ethics bill; Ms. Coleman is not one of them.
2 comments:
While not defending Maida Coleman, the "Ethics Bill", because of Republican opposition, did not deal with lobbyist money. The Democrats wanted it included.
The recently passed "Ethics Bill", only dealt with campaign contributions. Compare the amounts and originations of contributions, between Dems and Reps. I think that will explain why the Elephants wanted to abolish contribution limits.
Everything deals with lobbyists' money. Lobbyists contribute to political campaigns; they serve as go-betweens to funnel money from special interests to politicians; and oftentimes they serve as political advisors to legislators. In addition, with term limits in place, the lobbyists are the ones who have the most knowledge of how the system works in Jefferson City; and of course, many of the lobbyists are former politicians and former legislative aides. If the Democrats wish to be taken seriously, they need to find people with some crediblity when it comes to reform.
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