Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Arkansas Politics Ethics reform drive has website operating
Posted by Max Brantley on Tue, May 15, 2012 at 6:44 AM
As promised, the Better Ethics Now Committee has a website up and running. But it's still in development. The donate portion is not yet hooked into an on-line pay link. But they are working on the fly.
Better Ethics is the committee formed to raise money to get signatures necessary to put the Regnat Populus 2012 ethics law initiative on the ballot. It would ban corporate contributions to political candidates, ending gift-giving to legislators and institute a two-year rule on legislators becoming lobbyists (it still wouldn't apply to people like U.S. Rep. Mike Ross who's already hit the door to the lobby before even walking through the congressional exit door.)
PS — If this measure passes — and let's hope — would it end corporate subsidized junkets for lawmakers. Wouldn't that amount to a gift to lawmakers, to take them on below-cost trips to be plied with food, drinks and cookie cutter legislation (thinking ALEC here).
Speaking of...
-
Regnat Populus plans lawsuit over petition restrictions
April 25, 2013Regnat Populus, the grassroots group that succeeded in putting its ethics initiative in a legislatively proposed constitutional amendment heading to the ballot in 2014, has circulated a statement touting its achievement and defending some of the items grafted onto that amendment to achieve legislative approval, particularly an extension of term limits and a mechanism to raise legislative pay. /more/
-
Legislative pay raise amendment comes out of committee
April 18, 2013David Couch, a lawyer active in the Regnat Populus ethics reform movement, e-mails me to say that HJR 1009, given up for dead at the first of the week, has been reborn. /more/
-
Monday morning: Medicaid, ethics, Bill Clinton, bar brawlers
April 15, 2013The Monday miscellaneous report: * ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE ETHICS: An oxymoron that headline, I know. I wrote at some length yesterday about the evolving proposec constitutional amendment to tighten state ethics rules a bit, while also providing legislators with a path to increased pay and easing of term limits. /more/
-
The price of ethics: more payola for Arkansas legislators
April 6, 2013I reported yesterday that a constitutional amendment modestly addressing state ethics law was approved by both the House and Senate committees that clear the three proposed constitutional amendments that the legislature may send to voters every two years. /more/
-
Ethics "reform" — Arkansas Republican style
March 3, 2013Max erupting from a volcanic atoll on the South Island of New Zealand:] E-mail arrives from Sen. David Sanders, touting a couple of pieces of so-called ethics legislation. /more/
- More »
Comments (12)
Showing 1-12 of 12
More by Max Brantley
-
Today, Mark Pryor opposes marriage equality
U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor reiterated to reporters today that he's opposed to marriage equality. That's more or less consistent with what he's said repeatedly.
- Apr 10, 2013
-
Arkansas: Red state on female mortality
The Washington Post's Wonkblog posted the map above illustrating by-county changes in female mortality rates.
- Apr 4, 2013
- More »
Readers also liked…
-
What Citizens United has wrought
More reporting from the New York Times on secrecy attached to the enormous contributions (from a PO box, for example) being made to Super PACs in support of presidential candidates thanks to the Citizens United ruling.
- Feb 2, 2012
-
Committee aims to toughen Arkansas ethics law
The Democrat-Gazette's annual article on legislative expense reimbursements is a good takeoff for what could be good news on the ethics front — a campaign for an initiated act to stiffen Arkansas ethics laws.
- Feb 5, 2012
-
Attorney general approves form of ethics proposal
Regnat Populus 2012, the grassroots movement to stiffen state public ethics law, announced that the attorney general has approved the form of the proposed initiated act.
- Apr 4, 2012
People who saved…
Event Calendar
-
Re: Sunday morning: IRS, Kochs and movies
Gee, then I wonder why the President was outraged?
- on May 19, 2013
-
Re: Sunday morning: IRS, Kochs and movies
.
>The situation with the IRS was not "made up" by the Republicans.<
It…- on May 19, 2013
-
Re: Sunday morning: IRS, Kochs and movies
We need a full accounting of who were the full 200 organizations set aside for…
- on May 19, 2013
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Slideshows
-
May 16, 2013
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
