June 5, 2005

Silent Leadership

The Tennessean has a long editorial today urging Gov. Phil Bredesen - who was silent on the issue of legislative ethics before the May 25 arrest of four sitting lawmakers on federal felony corruption charges - to call as special session to adopt tough new ethics laws for legislators and lobbyists. Many of the things they are calling for are things the legislature rejected in the just-finished session. Some of them might have passed if Gov. Bredesen had provided even the slightest bit of leadership on the issue, but Bredesen had zero interest in legislative or lobbying ethics reform before four sitting lawmakers, one former lawmaker, a lobbyist and a political operative were indicted on federal corruption charges involving lawmakers taking bribes from lobbyists.

Matt White has some further thoughts on Bredesen's lack of leadership on the issue of governmental ethics reform, parsing a statement from Bredesen spokesperson Lydia Lenker published in The Tennessean yesterday in which Lenker disputed state Rep. Frank Buck's description of Bredesen showing no interest in the topic when Buck raised it with him two years ago.

Lenker said:

Gov. Bredesen has great respect for Rep. Frank Buck but respectfully disagrees with Buck's recollection of the meeting. Ethics in state government is — and will always be — a paramount concern for this governor. In one of his first acts after taking the oath of office, Bredesen signed three executive orders creating the toughest ethics policy in the history of Tennessee's executive branch. He has always believed that a strong ethical code is essential to good government. It is a code he also adhered to as mayor of Nashville.

If Buck's recollection of the meeting is wrong, what is the Governor's take on it? What does he remember happening in the meeting and its aftermath? Apparently, we peons don't need or deserve to know that. True, Bredesen signed three executive orders right after taking office. But the operative words in Lenker's statement are "executive branch." Those orders had nothing to do with the legislature and they didn't stop Deputy Governor Dave Cooley from getting a speeding ticket fixed or Mac Cooper from committing workplace harassment. Ah, but Lenker assures us that "a strong ethical code is essential to good government." Then why did it take five current and former legislators doing a perp walk to get him involved in the cause of ethical government? Now that it's in the spotlight and Bredesen can get some face time on TV showcasing his effective management, he's all for leadership in ethical government. But when a 30 year veteran of the legislature clues him in on what's really going on in Legislative Plaza? As they say in Bredesen's home state, fugettaboutit.

Gov. Bredesen has a blog where he can talk directly to the people of Tennessee about these important issues. His latest entry, dated May 22, talks about attending a high school graduation in East Tennessee. He has not written a single word about Operation Tennessee Waltz or legislative ethics. Bredesen isn't providing leadership on governmental ethics - he's playing catch up. Badly.