Bradley Byrne finally rolled out his ethics reform plan for Alabama state government yesterday and -- surprise, surprise, surprise! -- it not only isn't "the most sweeping reform ever offered in Alabama," it's considerably less sweeping than the one offered seven months ago by Democrat Artur Davis. So much for Byrne's hope of being the ethics reform candidate in the governor's race next year and so much for Democrats being the party that loves corruption.
The whole scheme is unraveling a bit for Bradley Byrne. He's spent years positioning himself to run against a Democrat with ties to the "evil" AEA and "union boss" Paul Hubbert next year but, surprise again, neither of the likely Democratic nominees -- definitely not Davis -- is strongly associated with AEA or Hubbert. It's as though Byrne painstakingly prepared himself to slay the nasty, evil dragons but has suddenly been plopped down on a battlefield not only devoid of dragons -- they're off fighting some other battle in 2010 -- but filled with ... oh, maybe fighter planes carrying air to ground missiles instead. That shiny "I cleaned up the community colleges" sword and shield set looks distinctly less magical in the current environment.
Like Davis, Byrne would call a special session of the Legislature to take up an ethics package and he would eliminate unregulated PAC-to-PAC transfers and give the Ethics Commission subpoena power. What he isn't proposing are limits on campaign contributions -- and we all know the people giving $100,000 and up aren't doing it out of altuism -- or a total ban on lobbyist gifts to any and all elected and appointed officials. While Byrne makes a big deal of cracking down on "double dippers," Davis would ban legislators from using their influence to steer funds to their employers, whether that employer is the state or a private entity -- that's the real goal if your concern is safeguarding the public interest instead of bashing educators. Byrne also wouldn't require officials to take a leave of absence while under indictment.
Artur Davis released this statement on Byrne's ethics plan today:
“While I am pleased that unlike Ron Sparks and the other Republicans in this race, Bradley Byrne has put forward an ethics proposal, I am mystified that he does not go further, to root out the real abuses that are breaking down trust in Alabama politics. I certainly appreciate the novelty of holding ethics trainings at the State Capitol, but seminars aren’t good enough to stop the culture of wining and dining public officials in the hopes of getting a favor, or the unlimited power of a few special interests to dominate Alabama politics by writing big checks.
Similarly, I am not sure why Bradley Byrne won’t join me in calling for the suspension of elected officials continuing to operate under the cloud of a legal indictment. As Chancellor of the two-year college system, he fought to remove officials who were even rumored to be under a cloud. Why not subject politicians in Alabama to the same standard that a bank-teller or a cashier would face if they got indicted for abusing their position?
T.H.E. Social Work Agency Adoption home studies & care management services in the North Alabama area.
Licensed, certified, caring social workers. blog advertising is good for you
