Commentary: Rules on gifts that are clear enough for a child to understand
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No comments [ Add Comment ]By Doug Gibson
Commentary
dgibson@standard.net
T
he Standard-Examiner Feb. 20 news article, "House: Gifts OK, disclosure even better," had a clever headline. Whoever wrote that headline deserves kudos for the Orwellian twist.
The story below it described an exercise in disingenuity. Our legislators are trying to take a smelly pig -- free boodle from lobbyists -- and spray the ill-gotten gain with a tasty-smelling perfume of contradictory limits and disclosures.
Usually, nothing happens and the legislative session ends. This year's perfumed pig is sponsored by Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace. Under Dee's proposal, legislators can grab or scarf down whatever freebies they can get from lobbyists. The lobbyists have to disclose any gifts more than $5, unless it's a meal in a restaurant. Then they only have to disclose who is eating if the tab is more than $50. (It merits noting that our legislators already get $54 a day per-diem nontaxable income to spend on food while they are in session.)
So, once again, legislators have voted to disallow disclosure of free meals that cost less than $50. For the record, here are the Top of Utah House legislators who don't want you to know when a lobbyist takes them to lunch: Doug Aagard, Sheryl Allen, Roger Barrus, Gregg Buxton, Brad Dee, Glenn Donnelson, Jack Draxler, Ben Ferry, Gage Froerer, Kevin Garn, Kerry Gibson, Fred Hunsaker, Paul Neuenschwander, Curtis Oda and Paul Ray.
They are all Republicans, which is an embarrassment for the Party of Lincoln.
Any hope the Utah Senate will take action on gift banning or disclosure must be greeted with skepticism. Usually it's the Senate that allows even enabling measures, such as Dee's, to die of neglect.
I have watched our Legislature dance around with ethics reform for several years. I am tired of the cynicism behind all of it. We see convoluted proposals, such as Gov. Huntsman's recent ethics rules for the executive branch. Despite his promises, they turned out to be toothless. In the Legislature, every year, we see even half-tough measures defanged in committee or on the floor.
And we contemplate the grotesque contrast of a Utah legislator stuffing his or her face at a restaurant, or watching a Jazz win at EnergySolutions Arena, while at the same time a poor child with a tooth pain waits for free dental care or an unfortunate veteran dies without the dignity he earned serving our country.
The following is very clear. Clear enough for a child to understand ... and certainly a legislator:
1) If a legislator takes anything of value from another person or group lobbying for his or her support on an issue, it is wrong.
2) If a legislator takes anything of value from another person or group that one of his or her constituents could not also get for free, it is wrong.
This should be more than a legal issue. It is a moral issue. Any legislator who is taking gifts from lobbyists is not being honest. It is that clear.
We don't need to waste time with carefully crafted "reform" legislation that is further sliced and diced on the floor.
We just need to ban all gifts, period.
It's that simple.
Gibson is the Standard-Examiner's assistant editorial page editor. He can be reached at dgibson@standard.net.
