Democrats, Corruption and Loopholes
Democrats must have a cadre of people working “round the clock” to find ways to skirt the state Ethics Laws.
Take this example.
Lobbyists in North Carolina for Time Warner Cable – just to pick an example mentioned in The News and Observer – are banned from contributing to Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue’s campaign for Governor.
So, Perdue motors up I-40 and solicits their ‘brothers-in-law’ in Washington. Time Warner’s lobbyists in Congress. All legal. But pretty clearly undercutting the law banning lobbyist donations Perdue supports.
Perdue’s opponent, Richard Moore, found an ever-simpler loophole. He didn’t even have to go to Washington. He held an event right here in Raleigh at a law firm/lobbyist firm co-hosted by spouses of lobbyists. Again, all legal.
When asked about Moore’s fundraiser his spokesperson used the ‘old bait and switch.’ She declared, indignantly, “Women have as much a right as men to participate in politics.”
But no one’s trying to repeal the Nineteenth Amendment.
All this says two things. First, Perdue and Moore are hardly likely to provide the leadership to clean up the corruption in state government.
Second, money always finds its way back into politics. Try to dam it up, stop it, ban it, but sooner or later it carves out new channels flowing back into political campaigns.
The ultimate answer is disclosure. Politicians file reports on who gives. When it comes to lobbyists, their spouses, and ‘brothers-in-law’ they should also disclose why. For instance, Time Warner Cable is lobbying the State Senate to stop cities providing broadband internet access (which, of course, competes with Time Warner). When its lobbyists in Washington held a fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Perdue, she should have disclosed her stand on the bill. And whatever she is doing to help pass it. And the communications between her office – letters, memos, drafts of bills – and Time Warner’s lobbyists.
Then, at least, we’d have a pretty good idea why the lobbyists gave the money.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.
Democrats, Corruption and Loopholes
Democrats must have a cadre of people working “round the clock” to find ways to skirt the state Ethics Laws.
Take this example.
Lobbyists in North Carolina for Time Warner Cable – just to pick an example mentioned in The News and Observer – are banned from contributing to Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue’s campaign for Governor.
So, Perdue motors up I-40 and solicits their ‘brothers-in-law’ in Washington. Time Warner’s lobbyists in Congress. All legal. But pretty clearly undercutting the law banning lobbyist donations Perdue supports.
Perdue’s opponent, Richard Moore, found an ever-simpler loophole. He didn’t even have to go to Washington. He held an event right here in Raleigh at a law firm/lobbyist firm co-hosted by spouses of lobbyists. Again, all legal.
When asked about Moore’s fundraiser his spokesperson used the ‘old bait and switch.’ She declared, indignantly, “Women have as much a right as men to participate in politics.”
But no one’s trying to repeal the Nineteenth Amendment.
All this says two things. First, Perdue and Moore are hardly likely to provide the leadership to clean up the corruption in state government.
Second, money always finds its way back into politics. Try to dam it up, stop it, ban it, but sooner or later it carves out new channels flowing back into political campaigns.
The ultimate answer is disclosure. Politicians file reports on who gives. When it comes to lobbyists, their spouses, and ‘brothers-in-law’ they should also disclose why. For instance, Time Warner Cable is lobbying the State Senate to stop cities providing broadband internet access (which, of course, competes with Time Warner). When its lobbyists in Washington held a fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Perdue, she should have disclosed her stand on the bill. And whatever she is doing to help pass it. And the communications between her office – letters, memos, drafts of bills – and Time Warner’s lobbyists.
Then, at least, we’d have a pretty good idea why the lobbyists gave the money.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.