June 15, 2005

Lobbyists Seek "Consensus" On Ethics Reforms

As I noted two days ago, the lobbyists who run the show down at Tennessee's state legislature are hoping to influence the direction of ethics reform legislation that impacts their business - a huge conflict of interest if ever there was one. Now, the Tennessee Associated Press has reported on the lobbyists' plans to water down ethics reform (although the AP doesn't characterize it that way).

Tennessee lobbyists say they may pitch their own plans for tightening up ethics in their profession, hoping to reach a consensus with the governor and lawmakers in the wake of the federal "Tennessee Waltz" sting operation.

The Tennessee Lobbyist Association is going to form its own ethics proposals. Some of the ideas could include mandatory ethics courses for lobbyists instructing them on state laws surrounding lobbying, said Mark Greene, who serves as the group's spokesman. "It's possible that the TLA may come out with its own package," Greene said. "What we are looking for is consensus."

Greene said he is meeting with Deputy Gov. Dave Cooley to discuss some ideas and find out what Bredesen has planned. Greene said his group will only be opposed to disclosure laws that would force them to report the amount of money they earn. "I think this climate is one where we are going to see significant change," said Greene. "We are trying to understand that; we recognize the pressure the lawmakers are under. We are willing to work with them to come up with significant changes."

The TLA is open to the idea of disclosing money spent wining and dining lawmakers, an idea that got snuffed out in the Legislature this year and is being revisited by Bredesen. But lobbyists would prefer to simply report the total amount spent entertaining rather than a detailed report. Bredesen has said he prefers the detailed report, similar to campaign expenditure reports. The governor said it makes sense to disclose which lawmakers were taken to dinner, how much was spent and what was discussed.

Things like "mandatory ethics courses for lobbyists instructing them on state laws surrounding lobbying" are feel-good measures, and if that's the TLA's idea of ethics reform, well, you can understand why real reform is needed.

Allowing the TLA a seat at the table to influence ethics reform is to enter a dark swamp of overlapping and interlocking conflicts of interest. The members of the TLA are major sources of campaign funding for the lawmakers who will be voting on ethics reform that impacts lobbyist, and for the governor as well. They will use that direct financial influence on the legislature and the governor to try to soften the impact of ethics reform on themselves. No ethics reform package that the TLA likes should be viewed as real ethics reform - and no politician who consults on this issue with lobbyists he or she accepts campaign funds from should be considered to be an honest broker on this issue.

I'll say it again: Whatever ethics reform proposals the lobbyists object to the most vociferously should be the centerpiece of any package of legislative/lobbying ethics reforms. And the lobbyists should be left cooling their heels in the lobby outside every single meeting at which reforms proposals are being discussed.

As for Bredesen's statements in the AP story, please read them with this in mind: Before the Operation Tennessee Waltz arrests made it politically vital for Bredesen to grandstand on the issue of legislative and lobbying ethics, he showed no interest in the topic.