Tony noted that just about everybody is playing the game in Jefferson City, a conclusion with which Rep. Mike Lair, R-Chillicothe, strongly disagreed:
I am a third term member of the Missouri House and your piece about Senator Curls contains a bit of misinformation. "Everyone does not do it"...take/solicited gifts from lobbyists and the amount is out of the ordinary. The Post Dispatch ran an article about a freshman member of the House on the Utilities Committee that took $8K in tickets and entertainment from AT&T and Ameren. Did he do anything wrong? I don't know, but it looks bad. I am afraid the attitude that the legislators are all for sale hurts many of us who maintain a $0 balance with the Ethics Commission. I want you to realize - we don't all participate.
2 comments:
"Not all on the take."
How comforting.
I suppose someone should ask Rep Lair what actions he has taken so that none of his fellow legislators suck on the lobbyist's golden teats. Such as introducing corrective legislation or perhaps writing critical editorials criticizing egregious examples of the largesse? Perhaps letting his fellow caucus members know what he thinks on the topic might make a difference.
Of course, if Rep Lair has just become aware of these practices, then any lack of prior action to address the issue would be understandable.
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