November 28, 2006
Ethics Commission fucks up, drops Texas in the grease
You have got to be kidding me... according to a ruling from the Republicans who run the TEC yesterday, electeds and public officials DO NOT have to disclose the value of a gift that's received, they only have to disclose what the gift was.
So, if (for instance) a Houston area homebuilder (no one particular) were to give (and I'm just speculating here) $50,000 to a board member of the Employees Retirement System, all the board member would have to report is that he received a check.
Oy. No gifts over $100. Period. I have to deal with that in my job and there is no reason why public officials should not have to live with that rule as well. The Lege needs to fix this and make it retroactive, if possible. Either that or at some point the upper echelons of state government are you going to be part of a RICO prosecution. Actually, from what I've seen, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be now.
$50,000?!?!?!?!??! That smells bad from hundreds of miles away.
Posted by mcblogger at November 28, 2006 09:38 AM
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Comments
Is this the stupidest thing you've ever heard of? I love Ronnie Earle's example..
You would be obliged to report the receipt of a wheelbarrow....and not that it was filled with cash.
Way to go guys! Barbara Jordon is spinning!
Posted by: gen at November 30, 2006 11:52 AM
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