ETHICS REPORTER

May, 2012
KentuckyLegislativeEthicsCommission 22MillCreekPark,Frankfort,Kentucky406019230 Phone:(502)5732863
http://klec.ky.gov

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CHPALeadsAsLobbyingSpendingRecordsSet

Lobbyists and their employers spent more money lobbying in the 2012 General Assembly than in any sessioninKentuckyhistory.Totalspendingof$8.8millionsurpassedthepreviousrecordof$8.4million,which wassetinthe2010legislativesession. Lobbying spending continues its upward trend, as spending in the first four months of this year nearly matches amounts spent for the entire year in 2000. During this years session, over $7.5 million was spent on compensation paid to lobbyists by the businesses and organizations which employ them. There were 651 employersregisteredduringthe2012legislativesession,and635lobbyists. ThisyearshistoriclevelofspendingisledbyConsumerHealthcareProductsAssociation(CHPA),which spent $486,053, a record amount for a single employer during a legislative session. CHPAs 2012 spending eclipsedtheformerrecord,whichwasthe$311,000spentbyCHPAinthelasttwomonthsofthe2010session. As in 2010, and in contrast to most employers, the majority of CHPAs spending was on expenses ($442,000),ratherthanlobbyistcompensation.CHPAsexpensesincludedphonebankingandwebsiteadvertising whichallowscitizenstocontactlegislatorsdirectly. In addition, CHPA undertook an extensive public advertising campaign, which is not reportable as lobbying. CHPA represents overthecounter medicine manufacturers and distributors, including Bayer Healthcare,GlaxoSmithKline,Johnson&Johnson,Merck,Novartis,Pfizer,andPurduePharma.Asin2010and 2011, CHPA lobbied to change or defeat legislation which would require a prescription to purchase products containingephedrineandpseudoephedrine,whichareusedtomakemethamphetamine. Inthisyear'ssession,legislationrequiringadoctorsprescriptionformethprecursorsgavewaytoSenate Bill3,whichwasenactedintolaw.SB3willdecreasethemonthlyoverthecounterpurchaselimitofephedrine and pseudoephedrine in pill or tablet forms from 9 grams to 7.2 grams, and impose a 24 gram yearly limit on thosepurchases.

 CHPAs spending far outpaced the secondhighest spending employer, Kentucky Hospital Association, which spent $134,473 during the 2012 session. The rest of the top spenders were: Kentucky Chamber of Commerce ($121,525); Altria Client Services ($104,729); AT&T ($87,441); Kentucky Medical Association ($84,880); Kentucky Retail Federation ($78,060); Kentucky Education Association ($74,543); Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities ($73,337); Kentucky Bankers Association ($72,320); Kentucky Optometric Association ($70,169); Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation ($64,401); Kentucky Association of Manufacturers ($57,409); Kentucky Justice Association ($56,875); CSX Corporation ($51,569); and Kentucky Association of ElectricCooperatives($51,058).

NewEmployersRegister

Organizations which have registered to lobby since the end of the 2012 General Assembly include: Fortress Capital Formation LLC, a New Yorkbased investment manager which states it is lobbying on issues relatingtoKentuckyspublicemployeeretirementsystems,includingKERS,CERS,StatePoliceRetirementSystem, andTeachersRetirementSystem;JanusCapitalManagement,aDenverbasedinvestmentfirm,whichstatesitis also lobbying on state pension investments; Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises, a Bereabased organization lobbying on affordable housing issues; and Molina Healthcare, a Long Beach, California company which states it provides Medicaidrelated solutions for lowincome families and individuals, and assists state agenciesinadministrationoftheMedicaidprogram.

The following employers have not filed spending reports which are overdue at the Legislative Ethics Commission:AmericanFederationofState/MunicipalEmployees,Council62;AmericanPharmacyCooperative; AmericanSocietyforPreventionofCrueltytoAnimals;ExecutiveTransportationSystemsLLC;KentuckyBlood Center;KentuckyTaxBillServicing,Inc.;andLegalAidoftheBluegrass.

LateFilers

LobbyistSuppliedFreeTicketstoRedsGame
ByAndrewJ.Tobias,DaytonDailyNews May26,2012 A Time Warner lobbyist affiliated with a corporatebacked group helped provide free tickets to a CincinnatiRedsgamethat22Ohiolawmakersacceptedbutdidnotdisclosetothepublic. Thelegislatorsandtheirstaffaccepted47ticketstowatchanApril29,2011,gamefromGreatAmerican BallParkspartydeck.Theticketswereworth$75each,andTimeWarnerlobbyistEdKozelekhelpeddistribute the tickets and decided who got how many, according to public records published recently by the Center for MediaandDemocracy.
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 Butthelegislatorsdidntbreakethicsrulesunderanexemptionthatcriticssayisaloopholetogetaround lawsdesignedtohelpthepublicmonitorcorporateeffortstowineanddinepoliticians.Thisnewspaperreviewed hundredsofpublicrecordsandtalkedtolawmakersandlegalexpertsabouttherelationshipbetweenmoneyand politics. Itsjustabackdoorwayforcorporationstohavemoreinfluenceoverthelegislaturewithoutoversight, BrianRothenberg,executivedirectorofProgressOhio,said. Describingtheexemptionthatallowedthelegislatorstoacceptthetickets,Rothenbergcontinued:And for the average consumer what that means is . . . your politicians are circumventing ethics rules in a system writtenby legislatorstoallow(corporations) tohavemoreinfluencethanyouasacitizenwould beallowedto have. Houseethicsrulesforbidlawmakersfromtakinggiftsworthmorethan$75fromalobbyist,andrequire them to report any gifts worth more than $25. But because the baseball game was scheduled entertainment duringatwodayconferencefortheAmericanLegislativeExchangeCouncil,theticketsfellunderagrayarea. ALECisa501(3)(c)nonprofitpublicpolicyorganizationthatbringstogethercorporationsandlegislatorsto writemodellegislationtopromotelimitedgovernmentandfreemarkets,accordingtothegroupswebsite. BecausetheOhioGeneralAssemblypaysannualmembershipduestoALEC,theRedsticketsfellunderan exemption in gift disclosure laws for entertainment that is part of a conference. So lawmakers who belong to ALECattendtheconferencesforfree,whilecorporationsthatdonatetobelongtoALECpickupthebill. SincetheticketswerehandedoutatALECsregistrationdesk,lawmakersdidntknowinglyacceptthem from a lobbyist, and thus were exempted from lobbying limits, said Ohio Legislative Inspector General Tony Bledsoe.AndIcanunderstandanargumentaboutthat,hesaid.Absolutely,ifthisgamewasheldapartfrom ALECandnotpartoftheconference,thenthathastobedisclosed. Bledsoe said that since learning of the ALEC event, he has decided to issue a clarification on disclosure rules in the coming weeks that would apply to all conferences attended by legislators. This office has always promoted public disclosure, Bledsoe said when asked if lawmakers should have disclosed the tickets from the lobbyist. StateRep.JohnAdams,ALECspublicsectorchairmaninOhio,saidthedisclosureexemptionfortheALEC relatedexpensesmakesiteasiertoattendconferenceswithoutworryingaboutdisclosurerules.Hesaidheviews theconferencesasaneducationalopportunity,notalobbyingevent.ThatswhatIlikeaboutALECyoudonot havetodiscloseforthesimplefactthatitiseducational,hesaid. ALEC holds three conferences a year where lawmakers and corporate representatives draw up model legislation, or share laws from other states. ALEC bills have been passed into law across the U.S., including in Ohio, where bills to toughen voter ID laws, privatize prisons and reduce collective bargaining rights for public employeesallhaveALECorigins. ALECs critics contend the group conducts widespread political lobbying and uses its charitable designationtoavoidlobbyingrestrictions.

 OneALECconferencelastyearwasheldinNewOrleans,forwhichmostOhiolawmakerswhoattended were reimbursed by ALEC for expenses between $1,500 and $2,000. Sessions were punctuated each night by dinnersatpriceyrestaurantsandeventssuchascigarreceptions,paidforbycorporatesponsors,recordsshow. InthemonthsleadinguptoALECs2011conferenceinCincinnati,recordsshowKaraJoseph,aseniorlegislative aidetoAdams,workedwithKozelek,theTimeWarnerlobbyistandALECsprivatesectorchairman,todistribute Redsticketstolegislators. Inoneemail,JosephfieldedarequestfromAndyThompson,astaterepresentativefromMarietta,who askedifheshouldbuythreeextraticketssohischildrencouldattend.SheforwardedtherequesttoKozelek. Wellmakesuretheyaretakencareof.Justkeeptrackoftheticketdistributionandletsnotadvertise what were doing for him, responded Kozelek, who referred a reporters phone message to Time Warner spokeswoman,whodidntrespondtoquestions. Fifteenlegislatorsacceptedtwoormoretickets,accordingtoadistributionlist.Bledsoe,thelegislative inspectorgeneral,declinedtocommentonJosephsactions,butspeakinggenerally,saidlegislativestaffersarent allowed under House ethics rules to accept gifts from lobbyists with the purpose of redistributing to others in their office to get around rules that prohibit lawmakers from accepting more than $75 in gifts from a lobbyist. Wedontwantsomeoneplayingthegamewheretheyactasaconduit,hesaid. JosephwasrecentlytransferredtoanadministrativepositionfortheOhioStateHighwayPatrolstarting April23,2012,accordingtostaterecords.Shehadworkedinthelegislaturesince1998.Adamssaidhertransfer wasnotconnectedtoquestionsaboutALEC. Legislators who attended the Reds game last year enjoyed the view from a party deck that included unlimitedfood,drinksandprivatebathrooms.StateSen.BillColeysaidhereceivedonetickettothegameand thatitwaspartofALECsconference.HesaidhewasnotawareticketswerefromTimeWarner,despiteanALEC flier that showed the event was sponsored by the telecommunications company. A Time Warner logo was printedontheinvitation.Itwasnotareportableevent,Coleysaid.Alltheruleswerecompliedwith. He said Time Warner officials mingled with lawmakers who attended the game, but they didnt pitch anything.Itsachancetointeractonalessformalbasis,ColeysaidofALECconferences.Itsaplacewhere legislatorsexchangeideasaboutwhatsworkingandwhatsnotworkingindifferentstates. Other area lawmakers who received tickets for the baseball game include state Rep. Jim Butler of Oakwood,stateRep.TimDericksonofOxford,formerstaterepresentativeJarrodMartinofBeavercreekandOhio SenatePresidentTomNiehausofCincinnati.

NewsYouCanUsefromState&FederalCommunications
StateLegislatorArrestedinFBISting ArizonaArizonaRepublicMay16,2012 ArizonaRep.BenArredondo,theformerTempeCitymembercaughtupinlastyear'sFiestaBowlticket scandal,hasbeenchargedwithbribery,mailfraud,extortion,andlyinginanunrelatedFBIticketsforfavorssting.
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 A fivecount indictment alleges Arredondo demanded tickets to sporting events and gifts from a fake company that ostensibly wanted to do development deals in Tempe. The company was a ruse fronted by undercoverFBIagents. ArredondomadenomovestoresignhisHouseseatandisundernolegalobligationtodoso.Statelaw requiresamembertoleaveonlyifconvictedofacrime.HeisscheduledtobearraignedonMay30. Thefederalindictment is unrelatedto the FiestaBowlscandal,inwhich Arredondoaccepted expensive ticketstosportingeventsfrombowlexecutivesafterhelpingthebowlsecurea$6.5millionsubsidyfromTempe in2005.MaricopaCountyAttorneyBillMontgomery'sinvestigationlastyearofArredondoand30otherelected officials who took gifts from the bowl concluded charges were not warranted. The FBI sting began before the Fiesta Bowl probe, operating from February 2009 to November 2010. It is not clear what prompted the investigation. Duringhistenureasacouncilmember,from1994to2010,Arredondo'spracticeofacceptingfreetickets tosportingeventswaswellknownaroundCityHall.ThefederalindictmentallegesArredondoaccepted$306in tickets in 2009 to an Arizona Cardinals game, more than $1,200 in tickets to Major League Baseball's 2009 American League Championship game, and 18 tickets worth about $2,400 for various Arizona Diamondbacks gamesin2010.TheindictmentsaysArredondoalsoaskedthefictionalcompany'srepresentativestopurchasea tableatacharityeventfor$550,withtheunderstandinghewouldinviteguestsofhischoosing. Inreturn,Arredondotookofficialactiontobenefit thefictitious company by sharinginformationabout Tempe'smunicipalbiddingprocesswithanFBIagentposingasacompanyofficial,allegestheindictment.The informationwasinrelationtoaprojectArredondobelievedthefictitiouscompanywasinterestedinbiddingon. TheArredondoindictmentfollowstheresignationinJanuaryofstateSen.ScottBundgaard,whowasthe subjectofanethicsinquiryintohisbehaviorinthewakeofafightwithhisgirlfriendalongafreeway.Amonth later, Rep. Richard Miranda resigned, citing personal reasons. Soon thereafter, he pleaded guilty to federal chargesofmoneylaundering.InApril,therewasanefforttooustRep.DanielPattersonforrepeatedproblems withdomesticviolenceandotherbehaviorhiscolleaguessaiddistractedfromtheLegislature'swork. GroupThrowsFinancialWeightbehindEthicsReformInitiative ArkansasArkansasNewsMay11,2012 A bipartisan group with political and financial influence has formed to see that a proposed ethics and campaignreforminitiativegetsontheNovembergeneralelectionballotinArkansas.BetterEthicsNow,which includes former U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers (DArk.), former state Sen. Jim Keet, and former U.S. Rep. John Hammerschmidt (RArk.), announced its support for Regnat Populus 2012 in a bid to certify for the ballot a proposedinitiatedacttobangiftstolegislatorsandfurtherrestrictexlawmakersfrombecominglobbyists. Keet said the ethics reform initiative would help restore voter confidence in state government while decreasing the inappropriate influence of special interest groups. "This is not a Republican or Democrat, or conservativeorliberalissue;itisagoodgovernmentissue,"saidKeet. Undertheproposal,lobbyistswouldnolongerbeabletogivegiftstolegislators.Currently,theycangive upto$100ingifts,food,orotheritemstoindividuallawmakers.Theproposalalsowoulddoubletheoneyear waitingperiodthatalawmakermustwaitafterleavingofficebeforebecomingalobbyist,anditwouldprohibit directcorporateandunioncontributionstocandidatesforpublicoffice.
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NewBriberyChargesFiledAgainstExSenateLeader NewYorkNewYorkTimesMay3,2012 JosephBruno,aformerNewYorkSenatemajorityleader,waschargedwithtakingbribesandkickbacksin a fraud scheme during his long tenure in office, setting up another battle with federal prosecutors who won a conviction against him in 2009. The indictment comes nearly six months after a federal appeals court vacated BrunospreviousconvictionbecauseofarulinginaseparatecasebytheU.S.SupremeCourtthatunderminedthe governmentslegalclaimsagainstBruno.ButtheappealscourtsaidBrunocouldberetriedondifferentcharges. Richard Hartunian, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, charged Bruno with taking $440,000 in payments disguised as consulting fees from an Albany businessperson. "Bruno did not perform legitimateconsultingworkcommensuratewiththemoneythathewaspaid,"statestheindictment. Brunoisaccusedoftakingthepaymentsfromthebusinessperson,identifiedintheprevioustrialasJared Abbruzzese, even though he knew he was not entitled to them; he was receiving them for official acts; and he receivedthemoney,inpart,becausehecouldinfluenceofficialaction,accordingtotheindictment. BrunoalsodirectedpublicmoneytocompaniesconnectedtoAbbruzzese,includinga$250,000grantto EvidentTechnologiesanda$2.5milliongranttotheSageColleges,saidtheindictment.Ifconvicted,Brunowould faceupto20yearsinprisonandamaximumfineof$250,000oneachoftwofraudcounts. Lastyear,theU.S.CourtofAppealsfortheSecondCircuitoverturnedBruno'stwoconvictionsforhonest servicesfraud,citinga2010rulingfromtheU.S.SupremeCourtthatchargesofhonestservicesfraudappliedonly toschemesinvolvingkickbacksandbribes,notjusttoafailuretodiscloseaconflictofinterest.Buttheappeals court said the prosecutions evidence "would permit a reasonable jury to find that Bruno performed virtually nonexistentconsultingworkforsubstantialpayments[and]attemptedtocoverup[hisdealings]." FormerStateSenatorIsSentencedtoSevenYearsinVastBriberyCase NewYorkNewYorkTimesApril26,2012 CarlKruger,theoncepowerfulNewYorksenatorwhoresignedhisofficeindisgraceandpleadedguiltyto corruptionchargesinDecember,wassentencedtosevenyearsinprison.Krugerwasthefirstdefendanttobe sentencedinawidespreadbriberyconspiracycasethatoriginallyensnaredeightpeople,andwasseenasoffering yetmoreevidenceoftheapparentlyunendingwaveofcorruptioninAlbany. Kruger was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery. Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff to impose a prison sentenceofnineto11years,asrecommendedundertheadvisoryfederalguidelines.Thejudgeissuedthelesser sentencetoKruger,citinghis"manygooddeeds." ButRakoffmadeitclearsuchcreditwasoutweighedbythefactthatKrugerhadenteredinto"extensive, longlasting,substantialbriberyschemesthatfranklywerelikedaggersintheheartofhonestgovernment." Kruger,whowaselectedtothestateSenatein1994androsetobecomethechairpersonoftheSenate Finance Committee, had been accused by the authorities of accepting more than $1 million in bribes from two hospitalexecutives,aprominentlobbyist,andahealthcareconsultant.Inreturn,heagreedtotakeofficialaction tobenefitthemortheirclients,saidprosecutors.
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FBIBehindIllegalContributionstoOklahomaLawmakers OklahomaTheOklahomanMay6,2012 The FBI gave a lobbyist $10,000 to make illegal campaign contributions to two Oklahoma legislators duringa2008undercoveroperation,revealedfederalprosecutors.TheFBIcreatedafakeGeorgiacompanyfor the undercover operation. That company then hired an unsuspecting lobbyist, Andy Skeith, to promote its interests,showrecords. Skeithwasacquittedthisyearatafederalpoliticalcorruptiontrialofextortion,conspiracy,andmailfraud counts.Hewasnotchargedforanythinghedidfortheundercovercompany.Hisrolehascomeupagainbecause hewantsthefederalgovernmenttopayhisdefenseexpenses.FederalprosecutorsallegeSkeithviolatedstate laws while working for the fake company. His defense attorney, Warren Gotcher, contends Skeith did nothing wrong. "Theyspentalotofmoneyfornothing,"saidGotcher."ItallshowedthatAndywasdoingthingslikehe wassupposedtodo.Idon'tknowthatheviolatedanystatelaws.Thebottomlineisthatlobbyistsgivecampaign contributionsallthetime.They'renotpayingforanythingotherthanthatsomebodywillatleastknowwhothe hecktheyare.It'sjustacostofdoingbusiness." TheOklahomanfirstreportedinFebruaryabouttheFBI'sphonycompany,RoadSafetyInternationalLLC. The recent legal filing reveals new details about the undercover operation. Most significantly, it shows the lengths to which the FBI went to make the company appear legitimate to Skeith and others. That included supplying $10,000 to Skeith to make donations to two lawmakers in a way that violated Oklahoma's campaign laws,accordingtotheprosecutors'filing. The FBI's fake company gave Skeith $10,000 in June 2008 to make the donations. State Treasurer Ken Miller, then a state representative, reported getting a $5,000 contribution from Skeith in July 2008. Miller said Skeith signed a donor card stating the contribution was freely given from personal funds. The FBI's phony company also paid for several expensive dinners with legislators in 2008, revealed prosecutors. Three of the dinnerscostmorethan$1,500. ExPa.Sen.MellowPleadsGuiltytoConspiracy PennsylvaniaAppletonPostCrescent;AssociatedPressMay9,2012 FormerPennsylvaniaSen.RobertMellowpleadedguiltyinapubliccorruptioncaseinvolvingthemisuse ofhistaxpayerfundedstaff.Mellow,whopleadedguiltytoafederalconspiracycharge,facesuptofiveyearsin prison and a $250,000 fine. He illegally used his Senate staff for campaign and fundraising between 2006 and 2010,andhefiledafalse2008taxreturn. Prosecutors have said Mellow exhibited "willful blindness" while staffers were raising hundreds of thousandsofdollarsfortheFriendsofBobMellowcampaigncommitteewhileonthepublicdime. MellowservedfourdecadesintheSenateandwasoneofthechamber'smostpowerfulmemberswhen heoptednottoseekan11thterm.Hehasalreadypaida$21,000fineforbillingtaxpayerstocoverrentalspace forhisdistrictofficeinabuildingheandhiswifehadafinancialinterestin,accordingtothePennsylvaniaEthics Commission.Mellowalsopaidnearly$32,000stemmingfromthetaxcharge.
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JaneOrieResignsfromStateSenate PennsylvaniaPittsburghPostGazetteMay22,2012 Facingsentencingon14criminalcounts,StateSen.JaneOrieresignedMondayfromtheseatshehasheld formorethanadecade. Ms.Orie,50,ofMcCandless,wasfoundguiltyinMarchofmisusingherlegislativestafftodocampaign work.Shehasbeensuspendedfrompracticinglawandstandstoloseherpension.Hersentencinginitiallywas scheduledforMonday,butAllegheny CountyCommonPleasJudgeJeffrey Manningallowedher twoadditional weekstorepaydefensecostspaidbytheStateSenate. "It has been an honor and a privilege for me to have served in the Senate of Pennsylvania," Ms. Orie wroteinabriefresignationletterdatedFriday.Stafferswillcontinuetorespondtoconstituentrequestsinher formerHarrisburganddistrictoffices. HouseEthicsPanelWantsDocumentsfromHaley SouthCarolinaTheStateMay19,2012 The House Ethics Committee wants W2s and other employment documents from South Carolina Gov. NikkiHaleytoproveshewasworkingforahospital'scharitablefoundation,notthehospitalitself,andsupport herdefenseshebrokenostateethicslaws. AtissueiswhetherHaley,whileastaterepresentative,illegallyworkedasalobbyistforLexingtonMedical Center, as it sought legislative approval to build an openheart surgery center, and exploited her status as a lawmakertolanddonationsfromlobbyistsandbusinessesforthehospital. BasedonthedocumentsHaleyturnsover,theEthicsCommitteecoulddecidetoclosethecaseagainst Haley or move it to the full House for possible further action. The committee earlier reviewed the complaint againstHaleyanddecidedtherewasprobablecauseanethicsviolationoccurred.Butthepanelthenimmediately ruledHaleyhadbrokennolawsandnofurtherreviewwasneeded. But some lawmakers, including state Rep. James Smith, were not satisfied with the committees work. They contend state law requires the panel to conduct a thorough investigation, not a superficial review, once probablecauseofaviolationisestablished. "Youcan'tdoboth,"Smithtoldcommitteemembers."Thestatuedoesntallowforyoutofindprobable causeandthendismiss[thecase]." Committee members fired back, saying they had conducted a thorough investigation, meeting for a monthinsecret.Thepanelruledprobablecauseexistedinordertoopenitsproceedingstothepublicandbring sunlighttotheprocess,saidstateRep.PhillipLowe,acommitteemember. Still, the ethics panel unanimously voted to require Haley to submit tax forms, including W2s and supporting documents, to prove she was working for the Lexington Medical Center Foundation, not Lexington MedicalCenter.Haleysattorneyshavearguedsheworkedforthehospitalscharitablefoundationfrom2008to 2010.Thatnonprofitisseparatefromthehospitalanddoesnotemploylobbyistsatthestatehouse,contendthe lawyers.
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 In her required state financial disclosures, however, Haley originally reported she was paid $110,000 a yearbythehospital,notitsfoundation.ThecommitteeinstructedHaleytocorrectthosefilingstoshowshewas paidbythefoundation,achangeshesincehasmade.Butwhilethefoundationwasheremployer,thehospital paidhersalaryasitdoesallfoundationemployees,accordingtoafoundationofficial. GABDismissesALECComplaintagainstWanggaard WisconsinTheJournalTimesMay17,2012 TheWisconsinGovernmentAccountabilityBoard(GAB)hasdismissedacomplaintagainststateSen.Van Wanggaard, who was named as part of the complaint alleging American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) scholarshipsareimpermissibleunderWisconsinethicsandlobbyinglaws. The Center for Media and Democracy filed a complaint with the GAB in March against Wanggaard and other state legislators. But the GAB dismissed the complaint against Wanggaard based on a letter from the senator stating he had not received any scholarship from ALEC and has not attended any ALEC conferences, according to the GAB letter. A representative of the Center for Media and Democracy could not offer any evidencecontradictingthosestatements,accordingtotheletter. ALECisanonprofitthattalksaboutstateissuesfocusingonfreemarketsandlimitedgovernment.Butit hasbecomecontroversialbecausesomesaylegislativeideasappeartohavecomefromALECconventions,which legislatorsattendthankstofundsfromcorporatesponsors. While Wanggaards complaint was dismissed, the status of the complaint is unclear against other legislators, including state Rep. Robin Vos, Wisconsin's ALEC state chairperson. Vos' office said they have not receivedaletterfromtheGABpertainingtothecomplaint. Lobbyists'LobbyistDrawsPublicAnger FederalChicagoTribuneMay8,2012 Callers heaped insults on lobbyist Howard Marlowe when he sat in a television studio taking questions during a callin program. "I kind of think that you all are like money launderers," said one caller to CSPAN identifiedas"Bob"inPetersburg,Virginia. "You are the person between us and politicians you stand between us and a voice," said "Mike" in Houston. Marlowetoldthecallersinacalmvoicetheywouldfindtheywererepresentedbylobbyists,too,ifthey knewwheretolook.Thetenseexchangeswereararebridgebetweenthepublicandtheprofessionalswhoare paid to influence officials in Washington, D.C. Lobbyists push ideas as diverse as tax cuts for multinational corporations,regulatorychangesforbanks,andgrantmoneyforlocalcharities. CSPAN hosted Marlowe, who in addition to running his own lobbying firm is the president of the American League of Lobbyists. The trade group claims 1,400 members. In all, about 12,700 lobbyists are registeredonCapitolHill,upfrom12,500in2000,accordingtotheCenterforResponsivePolitics. Angerpunctuatedthe44minutesegment,echoingthelowopinionoflobbyiststhatAmericansvoicein polls. The profession has been battered by the imprisonment of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and by news storiesoflobbyists'outsizedinfluence.
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 "Rosie"inSilverSpring,Marylandsaidlobbyistssecretlywritetoomanylawsandregulationsthatelected officialsthenpresentastheirownwork."Thereshouldbealotmoredisclosureofwhat'sgoingonbehindclosed doors,"shesaid. Marlowe said lobbyists disclose much of what they do in quarterly filings that detail fees and issues. In April,theleagueproposedmakingtherulestougher.Marlowesparredwithcallerswhowereconcernedabout corporateinfluence,tellingonemanopposedtotheoilindustrythatenvironmentalgroupshavelobbyists,too. "Everybodywho'slisteningtoushasalobbyist,"Marlowesaidatanotherpoint. TheshowwasthelatestinaseriesofmediaappearancesforMarlowe,whostartedhisownlobbyingfirm in1984andrepresentslocalitiesthatwantfederalfundingforwaterprojectsandotherneeds.Marlowehassaid lobbyistsneedtocounterthepublic'sperceptionofthem,especiallyasCongressweighswhethertochangethe rulestheyfollow.

EthicsintheNewsNationalConferenceofStateLegislatures

MARYLANDAbillpassedthatrequireslegislatorconflictofinterestformsbemadeaccessibleonline, along with information about outside employment of legislators and spouses. The bill also creates an online registrationform,tobefilledoutbythosewhowishtoviewthedisclosuresoneoffourotherstateswithsucha requirement. The original version of the bill would have required that financial disclosure statements be made available online, but the provision was eventually removed. Baltimore Sun April 13, 2012. http://articles. baltimoresun.com/20120413/news/bsmdethicsdisclosure20120414_1_jointlegislativeethicscommittee legislativesessioncommoncausemaryland TheSenateethicscommitteepublicallyreprimandeditsmajorityleaderforfailingtodiscloseincomefor sixyears.Themember hadfiled conflictofinterestdisclosures abouttheincome. HeraldMail May 3,2012. http://articles.heraldmail.com/20120503/news/31561399_1_disclosureformlegislativeethicsconflictof interestform NEWYORKThelegislativeethicscommissionorderedformerSenatorPedroEspadatopay$80,000in fines,thelargestmonetaryjudgmenteverassessedbythecommission.Therulingwasissuedoverafindingthat Espada violated nepotism laws. Espada is currently awaiting the jurys decision in his federal trial on embezzlementcharges.NewYorkTimesMay4,2012.http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/05/nyregion/pedro espadaisorderedtopay80000afterhiringuncle.html?_r=1 NORTHCAROLINATheHouseminoritypartywrotethelegislativeethicscommitteeandthestateethics commission askingforaninvestigationoftheSpeakersoffice.TwoaidestotheSpeaker,including his chiefof staff, resigned after they admitted to having close relationships with lobbyists. The complaints say that the relationships raise issues of conflicts of interest and undue influence on the legislative process and ask for the legislative committee to recommend any changes to law or policies that could prevent similar situations in the future.WAVYMay4,2012. http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/north_carolina/ncdemswantethicsprobe RHODEISLANDOpinion:Legislaturesethicsembarrassing.BarringtonPatchApril18,2012. http://barrington.patch.com/articles/legislaturesstandonethicsembarrassing

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