Legislative scandal rekindles push for lobbyist gift ban

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The brewing scandal over dozens of state legislators failing to report gifts from lobbyist groups has rekindled support by government reform advocates for a ban or stricter limit on how much lawmakers can accept in freebies from companies seeking their favor.

The Times reported Wednesday that 26 legislators have agreed to pay fines to the state Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to report thousands of dollars in gifts that included sports and concert tickets, spa treatments, meals and luxury lodging from firms lobbying them on issues.

Such gifts are a corrupting influence and should be outlawed entirely, said Derek Cressman, the western regional director of Common Cause. ‘There is no reason for these gifts to be occurring in the first place,’ Cressman said. ‘There is no public policy benefit for a legislator or their spouse or children to be taken out to dinner or to a Kings game or to a rock concert. It invites the perception that favors are being given.’

Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) said today that he would like to see a revival of a bill that died in the Legislature in 2008 that would have limited firms that hire lobbyists from giving no more than $10 a month in gifts to legislators and other state officials. A similar limit already applies to lobbyists. ‘I would support it enthusiastically,’ Huffman said. ‘That’s not what I came here for, to be showered with gift baskets and books.’

The Fair Political Practices Commission’s chairman, Ross Johnson, declined to talk about the ongoing investigation, but said today that he has long believed that legislators should not be able to receive any gifts.

‘If the only vote required to do that was mine, if I were king, I’d say while you are in office you shouldn’t accept gifts at all,’’ Johnson said. ‘These kinds of gifts just create questions in the minds of ordinary voters.’

Johnson said he has not formally proposed a gift ban to be considered by the commission but may do so in the future. He said the current $420 limit on gifts from lobbying groups is too high, quipping that in his 42 years of marriage, ‘not once’ has his wife given him a gift worth $420.

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento