My friend is working on reforming the ethics for legislators in the state of Utah. He sent me this message and I think it's important enough to sign. Please read and go to the website to sign if you feel the same.
--Becky
Utah is one of only a handful of states that has no limits at all on campaign contributions. Essentially this means that large corporations and unions can “buy” their candidates and, ultimately, the election. One corporation alone spent $500,000 on Utah legislative campaign contributions in 2008. Second, you can be a paid lobbyist and a paid legislator in Utah. You can also leave the legislature and immediately become a lobbyist.
The standing ovation given to one Utah legislator who had just revealed a shocking episode involving a 15 year-old girl is a measure of how oblivious this group is to ethically dubious conduct. One respected lobbyst stated to me a year ago, "There will never be meaningful ethics reform in Utah until the voters demand it through an initiative." That conversation prompted the current initiative petition.
Utahns for Ethical Government is a group of Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and unaffiliated voters who have prepared an initiative for placement on the November 2010 general election ballot. The chair of the campaign, Kim Burningham, is a lifelong Republican and former legislator. This is NOT a partisan issue. The initiative would establish an Independent Ethics Commission and a strict code of ethical conduct for the Utah Legislature.
I’ve listed the main points of this reform below. For more information about this initiative click on the link below.
To sign the petition (we need 95,000 signatures by April 15th) please click on the following link. Please also send this email on to others to sign. We need representation from all counties, so please forward this email to those outside of the Wasatch front as well (e.g., relatives in Vernal and Logan).
We need to close these loopholes to prevent the inevitable corruption they create. Thanks in advance for making Utah an even better democracy. Please reply if you have questions.
Highlights of the Code of Conduct
* Legislators are prohibited from spending campaign funds on non-campaign personal expenses.
* Legislators are prohibited from contributing to one another’s campaigns with money from their own campaign funds.
* Legislators cannot be paid lobbyists during their terms of office or for 2 years thereafter.
* Legislators and their family members cannot accept gifts from paid lobbyists, such as meals, Jazz tickets, and golf fees. Gifts do not include light refreshments of negligible value.
* Legislators, when in doubt, can ask for a written opinion by the Commission that determines in advance whether an action contemplated by the legislator would violate the Code of Conduct.
* Legislators are prohibited from making threats, intimidating, or improperly interfering with or obstructing the duties and decisions of the courts and other employees of state government who are exercising the duties of their offices.
* Legislators are prohibited from accepting donations to their campaigns from corporations and unions.
* Contributions to a legislator’s campaign funds are limited to $2500 per individual and $5000 per PAC in any 2-year election cycle.
* Money remaining in a legislator’s campaign account that is not spent within 5 years in a subsequent election campaign by the same legislator is transferred to the State School Fund or a Commission-selected-and-approved charitable organization of the legislator’s choice.
* Legislators must file forms annually (with the Ethics Commission) which disclose financial and business interests that could create potential conflicts of interest. The disclosures will be available to the public. As under current law, legislators must file reports with the Lt. Governor of financial contributions they have received.
* Legislators cannot be members of corporate boards when their position as a legislator is a contributing factor in their board appointment and they receive compensation for serving.
* Legislators are prohibited from contributing to one another’s campaigns with money from their own campaign funds.
* Legislators cannot be paid lobbyists during their terms of office or for 2 years thereafter.
* Legislators and their family members cannot accept gifts from paid lobbyists, such as meals, Jazz tickets, and golf fees. Gifts do not include light refreshments of negligible value.
* Legislators, when in doubt, can ask for a written opinion by the Commission that determines in advance whether an action contemplated by the legislator would violate the Code of Conduct.
* Legislators are prohibited from making threats, intimidating, or improperly interfering with or obstructing the duties and decisions of the courts and other employees of state government who are exercising the duties of their offices.
* Legislators are prohibited from accepting donations to their campaigns from corporations and unions.
* Contributions to a legislator’s campaign funds are limited to $2500 per individual and $5000 per PAC in any 2-year election cycle.
* Money remaining in a legislator’s campaign account that is not spent within 5 years in a subsequent election campaign by the same legislator is transferred to the State School Fund or a Commission-selected-and-
* Legislators must file forms annually (with the Ethics Commission) which disclose financial and business interests that could create potential conflicts of interest. The disclosures will be available to the public. As under current law, legislators must file reports with the Lt. Governor of financial contributions they have received.
* Legislators cannot be members of corporate boards when their position as a legislator is a contributing factor in their board appointment and they receive compensation for serving.
1 comment:
This may be needed. However they should not put a limit on how much money any one person can donate as it limits the capability to run for any political seat to the rich. That is why we have so many democrats in is because they usually own alot of money. Conservatives that want to run most of then not doesn't have the same access to money.
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