Comments on Advance Indiana™: Day And Delph Want Restrictions On Legislative Gifts

This is an odd partnership. Delph rarely does any...

2008-01-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

This is an odd partnership. Delph rarely does anything worth a cup of warm spit. But this actually sounds reasonable and overdue.

I guess Rex Early is right: even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in a while.

Oh, please Wilson, don't suggest that...

2008-01-07T21:28:00.000-05:00

Oh, please Wilson, don't suggest that...

Melyssa, why don't you run for Congress on the Lib...

2008-01-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

Melyssa, why don't you run for Congress on the Libertarian ticket in the Special Election? They have a "slot" available by caucus as one of the 3 officially recognized political parties in Indiana ...

There are federal codes outlawing "illegal gratuit...

2008-01-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

There are federal codes outlawing "illegal gratuities" to public officials, which are gifts given in connection with the official's public role, but that don't rise to the level of "bribes" because there isn't an explicit quid pro quo. Bribing a public offical is illegal here, but Indiana should also adopt the illegal gratuities statute, which would make illegal much of the entertainment and other largesse lawmakers receive from those wishing to do business with the state.

If I held public office I would never take a cent ...

2008-01-07T12:22:00.000-05:00

If I held public office I would never take a cent or special favors from lobbyists, but I would make time to talk with them.

If I liked the information they brought to me, I would give THEM gifts produced in Indiana.

I can afford to pay for my own dinners and entertainment.

The Statehouse lobbyists could've been reigned in ...

2008-01-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

The Statehouse lobbyists could've been reigned in back in 1989--but we missed our chance.

That's when brand-new Sec. of State Joe Hogsett, whose office then handled lobbyist registration, decided to get serious about it. He sent word that he'd be vigorous in collecting and evaluating lobbyist registration and reporting forms.

How did the legislature respond?

Within one session, they stripped the SOS of that duty. The legislature installed the nation's weakest lobbyist monitoring system. It's a commission appointed by the legislature itself.

This one-hand-washes-the-other approach has killed transparency in government in Indiana. It's how Ice Miller and some of the other huge firms wine and dine legislators, but don't have to report it.

They ought to be ashamed. But they aren't.

As Mayor, Ballard could push through any type of lobbyists ordinances he wanted. He's the perfect one to do it--he owes no one.

But I'm not holding my breath.

We all know that the Mayor actually shares power with the top two or three law firms anyway, regardless who the mayor is.

Pollard sent me a link to a blog he set up to comm...

2008-01-07T10:54:00.000-05:00

Pollard sent me a link to a blog he set up to communicate with voters and asked me to share it with my readers. I did it because I want my readers to be informed, and I would have done it for any of the other candidates competing for this seat. He is the only candidate, Republican or Democrat, who has asked me to date to post any information about their candidacies on this blog.

Where are we today. Over the week end you touted P...

2008-01-07T10:40:00.000-05:00

Where are we today. Over the week end you touted Pollard who works for the largest lobby firm in the city as a congressional candidate. Today you kick lobbyist to the curb. Is it a good idea to elect lobbyist to congress? Are all lobbyist bad or just some.