Help me with my "No Gifts List" by going to the Ethics Commission Meeting 1/28 at 10am at the Capitol, 1st floor. Moved from the 23rd. Even before I thought about running for city council, I worked on state-level ethics reform. I wrote a research fact sheet on lobbying last year, which I put into all the Ethics Commissioners' hands. I remember Commissioner Loy, holding my fact sheet, saying: “Based on Dr. Wood’s paper, I propose a $100 limit instead of a $200 limit.” Commissioner Raley, seconded and, after some heated discussion, it passed.
Today because of my efforts, lobbyists can only give up to $100 to a legislator per year. It used to be that lobbyists would give legislators OSU and OU football tickets. They can still literally wine and dine legislators though, especially if they have more than one employer.
Even with this reduction in the amount they can give, you might find it amazing that gifts to legislators have actually gone up 28%.
You know if you give one of your family members a gift for Christmas, you don’t expect anything in return because you love them, right? However, if you give something to someone you hardly know, you want something in return. That’s capitalism, that’s an exchange. That, of course, is fine.
However, our state legislators and other public officials are making life and death decisions every day. They are supposed to be unbiased. But, when you add money into the system, you mess it up. Really, we have a “pay to play” system. That’s why lobbyists do it; it works. Legislation goes their way at the expense of you and me. What’s worse, these legislators are supposed to represent us, but they more often than not, represent lobbying interests. They will say they don’t, but it’s only human nature.
Do you have a budget to buy your legislator gifts? I know I don’t. And, in a Democracy, you should not have to pay for access to your legislator. You voted that’s enough. I know my state Representative Jason Murphy can’t be bought. Thank goodness, but he’s the exception to the rule.
This year, I proposed two amendments. The one banning gifts from lobbyists to legislators is getting all the media attention. I’ve been interviewed on Fox 25, Channel 4, OETA, Radio Oklahoma, and The Oklahoman among others.
While Rep. Jason Murphey and I prefer a total ban, my original “no gifts list” amendment now has a sponsor and could possibly pass with your help. A “no gifts list” is set up so legislators and other state public officials can put an asterisk next to their name on a list, accessible to both lobbyists and the public, to say “I don’t accept gifts from lobbyists.” Basically, if my “no gifts list” amendment passes, the legislature has a shot at it. They can kill, amend or ignore. If they ignore it, that’s a good thing, it pases.
Now, Rep. Murphey and I are tag teaming on this, he has a bill in the state legislature submitted last year, but it died in committee. He has another this year, though.
If the “no gifts list” passes the legislature either way, and I think I might, I will start what I call the “asterisk campaign." We can all call our legislator or other public official and ask if they have an asterisk by their name. Hopefully, those without an asterisk by their name will feel left out. Or, we’ll just have to kick them out.
What I ask from you is to attend the Ethics Commission's vote on this amendment on Friday 1/23 at 10am. I hope you can make it.
I’ve been to these meetings virtually all year, the lobbyists are well represented, but we the people are not. I need folks to speak up and say they would like this amendment for transparency or even push to ban gifts themselves.
The only people who want to kill my amendment are the lobbyists and many of the legislators themselves, so let your voice be heard. I hope to see you there.
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