By Curmudgeon
Since the topic of poor government is a near constant on Weber County Forum, the Standard-Examiner has a story today that fits.
Here's the lede:
SALT LAKE CITY — A state lawmaker who once called for a ban on gifts from lobbyists received Billy Joel concert tickets worth $388. Sen. Patricia Jones, D-Holladay, accepted four tickets to the November concert given to her by Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield lobbyist Jennifer Cannaday, according to disclosure reports.Damn right, it's a good question. And how does Sen. Jones answer it? Here's how:
In 2006, when Jones was a House member, she sponsored a bill that would have outlawed gifts from lobbyists worth more than $5.
So why the contradiction?
“Good question,” Jones said Friday.
“Typically, what I do is reimburse them — and I will be doing that.”Not good enough, Sen. Jones. Not by a long shot. Not for a delegate from my party. That kind of sophistry may play well in the party of "fiscal conservative" George Bush who has doubled the national debt in his seven years in office; it may work in the offices of the Republican wing-nut troika in Utah [Curtis, Bramble and Buttars]. But it is sophistry and, being a Democrat, Sen. Jones knows it. Or should.
Even if she has [without being outed by the press] reimbursed lobbyists for such "gifts" [aka bribes] in the past, and does again this time, that still won't do it. If the concert for example was sold out, the "gift" --- even if she reimbursed the giver --- includes access to the tickets at all. And I'm betting Sen. Jones didn't have her fanny planted in the cheap nosebleed seats when the curtain went up.
Her taking the tickets involved a truly Republican level of hypocrisy. Listen to what she had to say when she was oh-so-righteously campaigning for a gift ban:
“Name one good reason why elected officials should receive gifts,” Jones said during House debate in 2006. “And what public good does giving gifts to elected officials serve? That’s the ultimate question....”Oh, give me a break. Sen. Jones, that last bit is a steaming pile of bull. And you know it. Or should. It's not at all "difficult to keep track of" if you just say "no" when the lobbyists offer you tickets, or dinners, or golf trips or whatever. Just say no and there is nothing to keep track of at all. This "Oh, my, it's just so confusing, I didn't even notice I took the tickets and went to the concert. Oh, I'm so confused! Won't my colleagues help me and ban such gifts so I don't become confused and take them again?" is nonsense.
On Friday, Jones, a member of the Senate’s Democratic leadership team, said she still believes a gift ban is necessary. “We definitely need to look at ethics — sometimes things slip by,” she said. “If it were the same for everyone, it would certainly make it easier for everyone. … It’s difficult to keep track of, to be honest.”
If Sen. Jones is not embarrassed by that, she damn well should be. And if she truly means, as she seems to, that she can't be relied upon to act ethically in office with a law to prevent her doing otherwise, she should resign, change parties and run for her seat as a Republican.
I expect this kind of sophistry from Republicans, Sen. Jones. But I won't tolerate it from Democrats. Ever. Nor should the Utah Democratic Party. And no, it doesn't matter to me in the least that of the five legislators who took the tickets, three [a majority] were Republicans. From Democrats, I expect... I demand... better conduct in office.
How should Sen. Jones and the other Democrat who took the baksheesh have handled it? Here's how:
I took the tickets. I screwed up. It was a mistake. I'm going to pay the company back for the tickets I took, but that won't make what I did OK. It was wrong and I should have said no. I apologize to my constituents for the lapse, and I can guarantee them that from this point forward, I will accept no gifts from any lobbyists for any reason. Not so much as a cup of coffee. Again, my apologies to my constituents, and my promise that nothing like this will happen again.Everybody makes mistakes. When you do, you fess up, apologize and make sure you don't do it again. What really rankles in re: Sen. Jones is her attempting to dodge responsibility with that "oh, the rules are just so confusing" crap.
You're a Democrat, Sen. Jones. From you, because you are a Democrat, I expect better. Much much better.
Update 1/13/08 1:44 p.m. MT: The Deseret Morning News published story about a new poll on the general topic of legislative gifts on Saturday. We accordingly link it here for our readers' attention. The article also includes a link to a pdf file listing lobbyist gifts to Utah legislators in 2007.
Update 1/13/08 3:35 p.m. MT: Great editorial and companion story, each from the Salt Lake Tribune. We thank gentle reader Ozboy for these submissions.
