“State officials don't have to report the value of
monetary gifts they receive from political donors, the Texas Ethics Commission
ruled Monday. ... The commission voted 5-3 on Monday to approve a staff
advisory opinion that said describing such a gift simply as a 'check' is
enough. No amount is necessary.
”
Is Texas Ethics an oxymoron?
Is there any state official who is willing to go on record supporting this decision? The Star-Telegram story does identify a few heroes who are openly challenging it:
"State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, sued the ethics commission in April asking that 'meaningful' descriptions of gifts be required. After the ethics commission ruled on Monday, Burnam said he was eager to move forward with the lawsuit. The opinion 'clearly, obviously violates the intent of the law,' he said. 'They deliberately I think misconstrued it and they are showing how utterly spineless and useless they are as an ethics commission.'Four state representatives have filed bills that would change the law's wording to require officials to disclose the value of a monetary gift."
Hooray for Rep. Burnam and the representatives who have filed bills to force other officials to do the ethical thing. Too bad the so-called Texas Ethics Commission itself can't be counted on for that.
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