By Daniel L. Bamberg
Currently in the state of Alabama 11 people, including lawmakers, lobbyists, state employers and business people are under federal indictment for charges of bribery, extortion and perjury. For this reason, Governor Bob Riley (R) has called a special session this week, to overhaul Alabama’s ethic laws.
Governor Riley has made past attempts to change Alabama’s ethic laws. Bills such as these have passed the House in years past, but did not go beyond that point, dying upon reaching the senate floor.
Riley and Republicans believe this time there is some newly gained momentum for ethics reform. For the first time in 136 years the Republican Party controls both Houses of the State Legislature. This being a Republican bill of the past provides a greater chance of becoming law with a new party in the minority, according to Riley.
Former State Representative and recently elected State Senator Cam Ward, who represents portions of Bibb County has decided to once again sponsor the bill which will enable the Ethics Commission to subpoena people and documents. Alabama is the only state without a law granting a state ethics commission such a law.
“I am embarrassed and angry that our state is once again under the microscope of the media and the citizenry for alleged wrongdoing by folks who know better,” explained Ward. “The Governor’s special session this week presents a real opportunity for these lawmakers to show their constituents how serious they are about putting teeth in our ethics laws, considered by many as the weakest in the country.”
Ward seemed excited about the chances of this bill’s passage, but expressed that there is more work to do even beyond this point. Ward explains that other ethics reform bills are being introduced.
One will place a ban on all transfers between two Political Action Committees, which hide the real sources of campaign money. PAC-to-PAC transfer is a way to disguise efforts made by politicians in support of concepts their constituents may not agree with. Through a PAC-to-PAC transfer there is no way for a voter to pinpoint such a transfer. According to newly elected lawmakers, banning PAC-to-PAC transfers will ensure transparency in the State Legislature.
“This is a loophole in our campaign finance law and it needs to be plugged,” said Ward.
I think this is a bunch of hoopla about nothing. There is so much to changing the ethics of our state that this won't scratch the surface. The republicans want to control what they deem as ethical and discredit what they deem unethical. Some of the things republicans do are clearly also unethical and who is going to change those things? Nobody, this is just partisan crap sold in a shiny package.
ReplyDeletethats stupid!!! we know we got crooked people in montgumery and cam ward wants to take them out him and the republicans will be a better choice then those lying cheeting democratic jerks we been electing forever i vote republican to clean up the ethics in montgumery we cant keep electeing baby killing tree huggers and hope to change the state money i am all for this and hope cam puts all elven men of these in prison where they belong!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy does Cam Ward want to send Bob Riley to jail? Is it about the money he took from Mississippi casinos?
ReplyDeleteI just read that again. I must have read it wrong the first time. Why wasn't this in the Centreville Press this week? How do a delete my comment because I look like an idiot now.
ReplyDeleteThe anonymous guy or gal is an idiot. Beginning a comment with 3 exclamation points was bad enough but then the anonymous person rambled on about things that made no sense.
ReplyDeleteHere is an egg, call it the anonymous guy's brain. Here is a hot frying pan. Now we drop the egg in the frying pan and we get the anonymous guy's brain on politics. I meant no offense to Sen. Ward in my comment. I just think this is political hogwash. I also meant no offense to Gov. Riley.
I did think Bridget's comment was hilarious and also important until she retracted it. It is funny that signs point to Riley's campaign being funded by the Mississippi Casinos but he wants to declare a special session to reform ethics so that doesn't happen again. Hypocrite much?
Republicans HAVE to make a difference at this particular time. It will also hurt a lot of them who have gotten fat off the system, but I am betting change will be for the better. Might take awhile, but it will happen.
ReplyDeleteFrom State Rep. April Weaver, "HB 11 relating to transparency and accountibility has passed the House! 2 for 2 for ethics reform so far today."
The bottom line here is this. Regardless of what party one supports State Ethics have been in question for entirely too long. Alabama, unfortunately is known as one of the most corrupt State Legislatures in the country.
ReplyDeleteNow is that the actual truth? Probably not. I am not so certain we are any more or less corrupt than your average state. Corruption and politics seem to be a universal union.
Regardless of how they go about reforming our laws of ethics, or who it seems to favor (though I do not agree with Ben's assessment that this favors one party over another) change must happen.
This was why I was in full support of Artur Davis. Changing the Alabama Constitution and placing strict penalties upon ethics violations in the Legislature were among his most ambitious approaches. I am not sure he would have been able to pull it off with a Republican state Legislature backing him, because partisanship seems to be very trendy in Alabama these days. Still the fact that we had a Gubernatorial candidate who had real ideas to change our disastrous fate was exciting enough for me.
I agree with what Bridget seemed to be implying. I do find it questionable that Governor Bob Riley, of all people would be supporting such reform. After all with his past campaign's alleged ties to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (whether he knew about it or not) to his gross misuse of State Troopers in an attempt to close down casinos because his feeling were hurt, Riley has been the epitome of unethical execution.
I support the closing of illegal casinos and consider Greene Track and Victory Land to be among those illegal (regardless of the loop hole). The point is it took Riley getting his feelings hurt in California at a football game for him to take serious action. When he finally did he wasted taxpayer's money to do it.
Of course there were other ways Riley wasted tax payer's money on State Troopers. Those ridiculous "taking back our roads" campaigns were ignorant and nothing more than a way of generating more income from the normal Alabama citizen.
Riley is also the same man who threw a temper tantrum with this state after his tax plan didn't pass. He began talking about letting hardened criminals loose upon the streets because the state wouldn't be capable of affording their incarceration. I mean if you want to talk about a waste of taxpayer's money look at all the petty thieves and petty drug dealers we have locked up. If the state can't afford incarceration and needs to let someone free, let those guys go.
Riley in many ways will go down as one of the most pro-active Governor's this state has ever had. I appreciate some of the good he has done. At the same time he falls in line with every Governor before him as one of the most bumbling men to sit in a statewide office in the U.S.
With that being said, hypocrite or not (Ben) I am glad someone is taking action. It needs to happen and it must happen. Alabama cannot move in a proper direction until we clean up the way our law makers conduct the business of serving the citizenry.
Any one who don't like Riley is a liberal he has been the best govanor we had.
ReplyDelete