Pete Ashdown

Why did the senate have to go and enact ethics reform? You win a sixth term at the party and they take all the fun out of it. Utah’s Senator Hatch joined Tom Coburn to form a coalition of the unwilling against the following ethics reforms that passed 96-2:

• Bar lawmakers from accepting gifts and travel and lodging paid for by lobbyists.
• Extend from one to two years the time a former member must wait before he can engage in lobbying activities.
• Deny pensions to lawmakers convicted of serious crimes.
• Require more reporting by lobbyists on their activities.
• Require public disclosure of those home-state projects.
• Require senators hitching rides on private jets to pay full charter rates rather than the current practice of paying the far-cheaper equivalent of a first-class ticket.
• Require reporting by lobbyists who obtain small donations from clients and then “bundle” them into larger contributions to politicians.
• Prevent spouses of sitting members from lobbying the Senate.

Keep fighting the good fight Senator Hatch! Utah is proud of you!