Note from Jeff: I am actively reaching out and asking all four candidates who have announced ethics reform plans to give me something to post here from them. If any others announce plans in the future, I will afford them the same opportunity here. This is what I recieved from Karen Handel.
-Says That Legislature Can Do It Now or She’ll Do It As Governor-
ATLANTA – Secretary of State Karen Handel today called for what she referred to as comprehensive ethics reform at the Georgia State Capitol after decades of ‘business as usual’ under the Gold Dome.
“We are fortunate to have many dedicated members of the legislature. This is an opportunity for all of us to take significant measures to end the culture of insider dealings, conflicts of interest and behavior that no one should be proud of but has been with us for decades. Republicans and Democrats are equally responsible and it’s time that it is finally addressed, Handel said today. “We need to restore faith in our political process and trust in our elected officials and we need to do it now. It’s time we get the people’s house in order.”
Handel today proposed a series of ethics reforms that she is hopeful the Legislature will consider in the upcoming session. If they are not adopted, she will push the reforms in her first legislative session as Governor.
“In recent days, I have talked to several members of the House and Senate and I urge the legislature to introduce and pass real ethics reform in the upcoming session. But, I also want the people of Georgia to know that as their next Governor I am going to demand accountability and make ethics a priority of my administration,” Handel said.
Handel has made ethics reform a priority throughout her career. As Secretary of State she instituted several ethics reforms during her first months in office. The reforms included a one-year “cooling off period” for former agency employees before being able to lobby the administration; a $25 gift limit for those doing business with the agency; and the office became the first in state government to make every expenditure available to the public via the internet.
As Chair of the Fulton County Commission, Karen also championed ethics and transparency and was the first official to call for the resignation of the Fulton County Sheriff after it was discovered that more than $7 million under her control was ‘missing’. In addition, she led the fight to force the resignation of the entire Board of Tax Assessors after an audit revealed gross mismanagement and for changes in the county’s ethics and personnel policies that included prohibiting the use of police officers as ‘chauffeurs’.
The reforms proposed by Handel today include the following:
1. Ban gifts of more that $25 to elected officials.
This would eliminate the junkets, steak dinners and free cocktail hours lobbyists use to peddle influence among lawmakers.
2. Make the Georgia Open Records Act apply to the Legislature as it does to all state agencies.
Lawmakers are paid by the taxpayers and are spending the taxpayers’ money. Their deliberations, official correspondence and work product should be transparent to the public just as they are for other state agencies.
3. Give jurisdiction to the State Ethics Commission for issues relating to conflicts of interest for legislators, state office holders, agency directors — including spouses.
Currently, jurisdiction for these matters is held by the Attorney General’s office. Enforcement of these issues/questions is through the filing of a civil action against the legislator (which has seldom if ever occurred). Currently there is not even a ‘complaint’ process or anything of that nature.
By giving jurisdiction to the SEC the process can follow the same path as matters/complaints involving campaigns, candidates, financial disclosures, conflicts of interest for board members and non-legislative employees, etc. The SEC is also better positioned to give timely advice on such matters.
4. Require all legislators to file a Conflict of Interest Statement with the State Ethics Commission, which will serve as the clearinghouse and repository of the statements and will be required to post them online. Lawmakers would also be required to recuse themselves from all matters that pertain to that conflict.
The people have a right to know if their elected officials are doing business with the state.
Conflict of interest to be defined as: “Where the officeholder, spouse or either of their employers stands to benefit financially due to a piece of legislation under consideration.”
Business to be defined as: “Entity contracting to do business or attempting to do business with the state of Georgia; representing interests doing business or attempting to do business with the state of Georgia; advocating or representing individuals or interests before the state of Georgia.” This would have the practical effect of requiring the elected officials to file with the SEC (as lobbyists) for private activities with the state.
Elected official defined as: “Any office holder who ‘qualifies’ for office with the Secretary of State.” This would include legislators and members of Congress but not county, judicial or municipal officers (as they are covered by city and county provisions).
Currently, the conflict of interest provisions apply only to those with a 25% ownership interest or more than $20,000 in income. Additionally, there is no state repository for the files (the Senate and House file internally) and there does not appear to be a mechanism in place for making them public. These records are currently unavailable to the public due to the legislative exemption to the state’s open records laws.
5. Continue the Governor’s transparency initiative so that taxpayers will be able to see – to the dollar – where every dollar is spent in state government.
6. Make mandatory the disclosure of travel and expense reimbursement by elected officials as is already required of agency directors.
“There are many other reforms that could help make the Legislature more transparent to the people who are footing the bill for the decisions they make,” Handel said. “This list should serve merely as a starting point.”
