La. lawmakers may have to give up freebies (lobbyist limit too low - awwwwww!)

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/10/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A state senator said he plans to try again this year to get lawmakers to give up the free tickets to sporting and cultural events they get from lobbyists - only weeks after a few complained the limit on the amount lobbyists can spend on those tickets was too low.

Sen. Jay Dardenne, R-Baton Rouge, said he has drafted and is ready to file a bill for the upcoming regular legislative session to do away with the freebies. He's filed similar legislation in prvious years that has failed, and it's unclear if Dardenne will get more support this time.

The subject was on editorial pages statewide after Rep. Charlie Lancaster, chairman of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee that looks at ethics laws, complained last month that the current $100 limit on tickets from lobbyists makes the seats purchased often too far away. Rep. Billy Montgomery, D-Haughton, also said he would like to see the ceiling adjusted.

"In the wake of recent discussion about raising the maximum amount of acceptable ticket values, I think it's preferable to repeal this special perk for legislators all together," Dardenne said Friday in a statement.

Ethics laws generally prohibit elected officials from taking gifts from people they deal with, such as lobbyists who seek to pass or kill proposed laws for special interests. The allowance for tickets is a limited exception to that law.

The nonpartisan Public Affairs Research Council chastised legislators for their complaints and also pushed for removing the exemption for tickets.

[Sharkfish]

Let's just say I am very familiar with the referenced Charlie Lancaster. He deserves a lot of credit for literally creating the Republican legislative delegation in LA. Hell, he used to hold the meetings in a phone booth. Alone.

But it's time for him to go. He has become the penultimate good ol' boy of the Legislature. Back room deals and loyalty to insiders over constituents are the norm for him. Ditto Peppi Bruneau and John Hainkel. The whole thing with Hunt Downer being anointing as the candidate for governer in a hotel room with Boise Bollinger made me sick. As did Hainkel's, "I'll switch parties to retain my leadership post." We need new blood. NOW.