Well, it’s a high holy day in St. Louis tomorrow as the Cardinals hold their home opener.  And just in time for the festivities is a story out of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch detailing the flow of free Cardinal tickets from lobbyists to Missouri lawmakers.  Though some see the obvious ethical lapse, some, like Rep. Chris Carter (photo above, left) have no problem with it.  Stunning.

Stunning that Chris Carter isn’t alone - by a long shot.  Stunning that not enough of us care.  Stunning that one’s definition of bribery can inexplicably depend on what is being offered.  (Cash=bad.  Cardinal tickets=okay).

But in a strange way, this is a lot more refreshing than the usual debate about cash spent on campaign donations.  Like Chancellor Harris at St. Louis Community College showed this week, $1000 checks for campaigns are just examples of speech.  And since speech is protected by the First Amendment……..[feel free to shoot yourself in the temple right here].

It’s disgusting that someone like Harris and Nelson see no connection between donations for a campaign and the buying of favors.  But that line of twisted "free-speech" reasoning is relatively common come election time.

But thousands of dollars worth of tickets to sporting events?  Not even the most skillful snake-oil-selling Jefferson City lobbyist can argue that that’s speech!  It’s something of value to someone you need a favor from.   No First Amendment issue here!

Yet they defend it.  With a straight face.  And the bribees defend it.  With a straight face.  It doesn’t buy votes they claim.  It "only" gets them access. 

Talk about having a set of baseballs.

-John Messmer

There WAS actually good news brewing in Washington regarding ethics. A permanent independent office was set up about two years ago to investigate ethical lapses in Congress.  The Office of Congressional Ethics is supposed to help nurish the new ethical culture of Congress.  But when the topic is ethics and there’s "good" news, you know you have to balance it out eventually with "bad" news.

That came in the decision Februray 26th by the House Ethics Committee to ignore the investigative findings and recommendations of the OCE.  Seven House member up on serious ethics charges by the OCE were exonerated by their peers.   Just. Like. That.

Oh, silly OCE.  You probably thought you really had some power.  Aren’t independent-panels-set-up-to-investigage-Congressional-ethical-lapses cute at that age!  So wide-eyed!  So precocious!

It really comes down to power struggles.  "Committee on ethics" vs. "Office of Ethics."  Tension between the two is inevitable.  Then what do you do?  What’s the point of an independent "Office" if it’s simply controlled by it’s more powerful and partisan and campaign-money-dependent  "Committee"?  Hmmm, sounds like a referee of some sort is needed….

That’s where leadership needs to come in.   For an independent Office of Congressional Ethics to mean anything, you’ll need ethical leadership in Congress.  Leaders with ethical standards will be able to pull the strings of any overly zealous, and ethically bankrupt committee.  Whitewashing a fair and independent investigation would be impossible unless Congressional leaders allow it.

Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s ethical compass appears to be broken - again, so she allowed it.   Gone is any remnant of her desire to “lead the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.”  Gone is her pledge about transparency, too…….

And just in case you were thinking of giving the good Speaker the benefit of the doubt, she goes ahead and defends Charlie Rangel THE VERY NEXT DAY on some of the most outrageous abuses of power seen in years even by Congressional standards.

Pure. Balls. 

Stay classy, Madame Speaker.

–John Messmer

Jefferson City is a mess.  To get the kind of public policy Missouri families deserve we must start with fundamental reform in the way Jefferson City does business.  And that begins with reforming the ethical environment.Nowhere is ethical reform more needed than in the relationship between our representatives and the represented.  Too many in elected positions in Missouri are beholden to lobbyists and special interests and not to everyday people.  As a result, they cannot - or will not - relate to the interests and concerns of ordinary families.  Want access to your elected official?  In Missouri you often take a back seat to big-moneyed interests.

Real ethics reform in Jefferson City will have two lasting effects:  First, with ethics reform those who serve in the General Assembly for their own personal gain will give way to those with the best interests of Missourians in mind.  In will be more public servants, out will be greed-driven politicians.  

Second, with ethics reform the public will slowly begin to care about – and trust -  state government again.   With more Missourians participating, more voices will be heard in the public policy debate.  And Missourians can finally get the responsible government that they deserve.

Here is a three-step start toward cleaning up Missouri government:

1.  Gift Ban

We need legislation that will completely outlaw all gifts between lobbyists and our representatives.  This “legal bribery” has become a common and accepted occurrence in our capitol – and it only results in perverting the democratic process.  Gone should be the free meals, free trips, and free baseball tickets. Restored must be the common sense and the ethical conscience found in the state Constitution:

I do solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and faithfully perform the duties of my office, and that I will not knowingly receive, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable thing for the performance or nonperformance of any act or duty pertaining to my office, other than the compensation allowed by law.      

Article III, Section 15

This is the oath of office all elected representatives must take. Note the part that is in bold.   It has been in the Missouri Constitution since 1875!  This very simple principle has been ignored.  Representatives get paid by the Missouri taxpayers.  They shouldn’t receive anything else of value from anyone else – particularly not from lobbyists.  

2.  Return Campaign Finance Limits to Voter-Approved Levels

Missouri voters in 1994 overwhelming approved limits on campaign donations.  The Missouri General Assembly defied the people and completely eliminated these limits in 2008.  We need legislation restoring these voter-approved limits.  We need to give the people back this powerful check upon campaign donation corruption! 

Missouri representatives had a choice a few years ago with respect to campaign limitations.  There are many states with a history of very fair and enforceable limits that level the campaign playing field.  But instead of following the lead of these states, Missouri decided to look to our neighbor to the east – Illinois – as an example!

There are many reasons why Illinois is considered one of the most corrupt states in the nation.  One of those reasons is its history of “no-holds-barred” campaign finance allowances.  It is disgraceful that Missouri has followed the lead of the “Land of Blagojevich.”

3.  Ban Work for Lobbying Firms While Serving as a Representative –

            and for Five Years After Leaving Office.

It is amazing that this isn’t just common sense in Jefferson City:   Elected representatives should not work for lobbying firms.   Legislator or lobbyist.  You can be one.  But not both.  The ethical culture in Jefferson City has sunk so low that the General Assembly removed virtually all limits on representatives working for lobbyists!  As incredible as it sounds, we actually have had sitting legislators on the payroll of lobbying firms. We need to end this unholy marriage between special interest lobbying and elected representation.

But we need to go further.  We need to ban the revolving door that exists between special interests and government.  Gone should be the possibility of elected officials jumping from the state’s payroll onto the payroll of the lobbying industry.  Currently, Missouri ranks 5^th in the nation in number of legislators-turned-lobbyists!  We need a law barring former elected officials from state lobbying for at least five years after leaving office.  

- John Messmer