Solis Award

* Re “Solis Can Keep Award Lantern, Panel Rules,” June 3:

As a lifelong Democrat who is deeply concerned with political reform, I was greatly disturbed by the actions of Fair Political Practices Commission and Chairwoman Karen Getman. State Sen. Hilda Solis is well deserving of the Profiles in Courage award. However, there is no reason to exempt her to personally receive a $10,000 silver lantern. Just because Solis is a deserving person and her cause is seen as being politically correct, there is no reason to exclude her from the scope of the political reform statute passed by the voters. We do not want our elected officers to receive personal gifts in excess of $300 no matter how deserving. This will only lead to abuse.

It seems to me that the lantern could be loaned to Solis for display by the Kennedy Library Foundation but ownership would not transfer to her or her heirs. This is not a small matter. If we can’t expect the FPPC to evenly enforce the few political reform statutes we have, how can we expect to have real political finance reform in this state?

JOHN NELSON

Long Beach