June 4, 2005

Bredesen's Lack of Interest in Legislative Ethics Goes Way Back

As I have noted before on this site, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen provided zero leadership on the issue of legislative ethics this year, despite the fact that legislative ethics was the topic of primary discussion and public interest during the just-completed session. Throughout the session, the governor was silent on the issue, providing no leadership as the legislature debated various ethics reform measures in the midst of an ethics crisis.

Now, as as we learn from state Rep. Frank Buck, via Tennessean columnist Tim Chavez, Bredesen's lack of interest in legislative ethics goes back a few years. Buck, who has made ethics reform his final crusade, recalls that Bredesen shrugged off Buck's request that the governor back ethics reform two years ago. Naturally, Bredesen now disputes Buck's version of events but, as we learned in the last few days, Bredesen's version of events can change.

Now, of course, in the wake of the Tennessee Waltz arrests of four sitting lawmakers on federal corruption charges, Bredesen is trying to get in front of the ethics parade. Chavez says Bredesen's lack of interest in legislative issue two years ago is important now because

Tennesseans are being asked to believe Bredesen's contention that he will address the corruption following the arrests of four lawmakers and one former legislator. Tennesseans also are being asked to trust Lt. Gov. John Wilder — who damned the FBI sting in a prayer on the Senate floor — and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh — spouse to a high-paid lobbyist. They will appoint members to a committee that will recommend new ethics laws to Bredesen. He might call a special session.

You want to make us believe you really mean it, Phil? Put Frank Buck in charge of that committee. And let him pick all the members you appoint.

In related Tennessee Waltz developments, today's Tennessean has an editorial calling on the three indicted lawmakers who remain in office - Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga, Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis, and Rep. Chris Newton, R-Cleveland, - to resign.

The paper also reports that "Cash campaign contributions make some queasy after sting."

Well, yeah.

The problem is, the fact that legislators could accept large cash gifts from lobbyists didn't make very many lawmakers, legislative leaders or the governor queasy before the sting.
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For more scrutiny of the Bredesen record, see Bredesen Watch.