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The royal rulers of Arizona deserve free meals. At least that's what they think!!!
Arizona Senate rejects new bans on meals, donations Apr. 12, 2012 03:41 PM Associated Press The Arizona Senate is rejecting a series of ethics measures proposed in the wake of the 2011 Fiesta Bowl scandal. One of the proposals voted down Thursday would have banned lobbyists from giving free meals to legislators. Others would have prohibited campaign contributions by lobbyists to legislators or candidates for the Legislature and barred legislators from accepting free trips or tickets to sports or entertainment events. The ethics-related proposals were offered by Sen. Steve Gallardo as amendments to an elections bill. Separate bills on some of those proposals were bottled up at the Republican-led Legislature. A Fiesta Bowl report disclosed that numerous legislators accepted free trips from the bowl. The report also disclosed that bowl representatives were secretly and illegally reimbursed for campaign contributions to Arizona politicians.
No ban on free meals -- or chutzpah That slap in the face you may feel this afternoon comes courtesy of the Arizona Senate. Our leaders this afternoon rejected a series of measures aimed at derailing or at least slowing down the gravy train that makes a regular run through the state Capitol. One proposal rejected this afternoon would have put an end to the free meal program, courtesy of lobbyists. Another would have barred our leaders from accepting free trips or tickets to sporting or entertainment events. (You will recall that just last week our leaders were given free tickets to the Diamondbacks' Opening Day. D-backs lobbyist Tom Dorn (related to David Dorn???) told me he would release the list of those who attended this week. Strangely, I can’t get him on the phone.) It's been a year since the Fiesta Bowl Fiasco and how soon our leaders figure we will have forgotten. No fewer than 28 current and former legislators took free football tickets and fabulous weekend trips, along with their assorted spouses, in-laws, grandchildren and second cousins once removed -- all paid for by the Fiesta Bowl. When it came time to publicly disclose their gifties, a fair number of them forgot. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery declined to press charges against a single one of these freeloaders – even though the law says legislators generally can’t take free tickets, even though the law says they must disclose their free luxury stays at five-star resorts, jet-set trips across the country and any other gift worth $500. In deciding to let every last one of the 28 off the hook, Montgomery said the laws needed to be strengthened and then he did absolutely nothing to promote that needed reform. Shame shame shame on Montgomery but especially on members of the Arizona Legislature who are thumbing their noses at us all. I imagine they’re having a good laugh tonight, probably over drinks and dinner with some lobbyist. |