Sunday, February 25th, 2007...11:41 am
Lobbyists Can Still Fete Legislators
The invitation for a party being thrown by lobbyists for Rep. Jonathan Paton has been making the rounds among politicos.
Lt. Paton served our country ably and honorably and deserves a party. Yep. In fact, all of his fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines deserve one too. Lets bring ‘em all back home so we can throw them one.
The trouble I have is with who is funding the party. According to the invitation, the party is being funded by SRP, APS, Southwest Gas, SAHBA, and the Homebuilders of Central Arizona. These are all entities that have business before the legislature paying for a get together for legislators.
You may wonder why with the myriad of rules and regulations regarding campaign finance and lobbyists such a thing would even be allowed. Well, according to the law, as long as all legislators are invited, anyone can fund an event. It would be hard to argue that there is a “quid pro quo” where a legislator is trading his or her vote for mini-chimis, but for many of us, this sort of thing is still a big part of the problem. The high dollar interests can afford to throw these parties where they can button-hole legislators, but can the interests that represent the rest of us do the same?
Interestingly, earlier this session, a raft of Democratic legislators including Ed Ablesser, Dave Schapira and Paula Aboud sponsored HB 2644, which would have made such things illegal. It was assigned to committee, but never heard. Suprised?
NB - I happened to be in a room full of veterans of the current conflict yesterday, and one, an infantryman who served on the Syria-Iraq border, wondered why the money spent on this party couldn’t instead be given to an organization that supports the families of servicemen who are serving. An interesting idea, and even a cynical bastard like me couldn’t complain about that.
8 Comments
February 25th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
This troop-worship dogma is troubling. Don’t get me wrong, everyone should respect and appreciate what the country’s soldiers, sailors, and airmen are doing. But for people to fete and worship this Paton guy just because he’s been to Iraq is the sort of rightwing nationalism that I’d associate with the brownshirts of Germany in the 1920s and 30s.
Paton is a guy whose party upon returning from a war-zone is being funded by worker and middle-class selling-out corporations. He’s no hero. He’s a Republic Party, corporate shill whose “party” for his return is vulgar. Sorry, but I won’t be one of those worshipping.
February 26th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Yeah, it sure is a shame he returned home safe and sound. I can’t imagine why his friends and those who work with him on a regular basis would want to celebrate his homecoming. The only difference between this situation and one where some 19-year-old private comes home is Paton’s friends and coworkers include lobbyists and others influential in the political realm.
Also, I am almost positive that Ableser’s HB 2644 included an exception for “special events,” which he said were events that were hosted for the benefit of all lawmakers. Like this one.
February 26th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Skoora,
As a fellow Iraqi Veteran I am happy to see another brother make home in one piece. I think everyone should get a nice homecoming from friends and family regardless of whether they are lobbyist or not. However, it’s a bit tacky that these lobbyist firms are besmirching Paton’s honorable service to do something as dirty as lobbying. As I told Ted this weekend, the money they spend on this event could be better spent being given to some underfunded Vet programs.
February 26th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I appreciate that, Marine0311. I’m not arguing the merits of the lobbying system that’s in place, or what the effect of the system is on the legislative process. But comparing Paton’s service and the reception he will be getting from friends and well-wishers to Nazi Germany is a bit over the line.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Skoora,
Totally agree with you on that one. Sorry, I thought you were referencing Ted’s post not netrootsdemocrat.
February 27th, 2007 at 7:02 am
” It would be hard to argue that there is a “quid pro quo” where a legislator is trading his or her vote for mini-chimis”
Ted, you of all people! How could you underestimate the persuasive power of a good mini-Chimi!!
February 27th, 2007 at 11:23 am
It’s funny to watch Republicans continue to lock out Democrats from the legislating process, and then complain when the Governor vetoes all their bills. I wonder if it ever hit them that if they could work with Democrats to write and pass bi-partisan legislation then maybe she wouldn’t feel the need to whip out her veto pen so often?
February 27th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Let’s not confuse this welcome home party for what it really is: an opportunity for lobbyists to beg and plead for Paton’s/McClure’s vehicle bills to resurrect dead issues. That’s politics, though. Welcome home, sir.
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