We've Been Called Out!
So over at pageonekentucky, Jake asks:
Wonder how the Club for Growth, Blueballs Institute and the rest of the teabaggers feel about their main man using his position to score pork projects for his employer?
He's referring to a source alleging that 2007 Defender of Economic Freedom Jim DeCesare is using his position as a legislator to unethically pressure firms into entering contracts with his employer. This is a serious allegation.
Before discussing the allegation, let's examine a few parts of the story. First is Jake's contention that school construction is pork spending. He references a project of replacing a category five school, which is the lowest rating a school can receive and means the building is a top priority for replacement. The only thing unreasonable about this project is the ridiculous prevailing wage requirement that inflates the construction cost by as much as 20%. For the record, Jim DeCesare is one of the few in the House willing to take a stand in favor of repealing the prevailing wage requirement for school construction.
Second, the consequence of a having a part-time legislature in Kentucky is that it creates an abundance of conflicts-of-interest between lawmaking and the legislators' day jobs. All legislators must be very careful about conducting their daily business in a way that does not attempt to leverage their elected position for personal gain.
The Code of Ethics states it much more clearly than we just did:
The Code states that the proper operation of democratic government requires that:
A public official be independent and impartial;
A public official not use public office to obtain private benefits;
A public official avoid any action which creates the appearance that he/she is using public office to obtain a private benefit;
Government policy and decisions be made through the established processes of government; and
The public have confidence in the integrity of its government and its public officials. (KRS 6.606)
This is a challenge for those who must make a living, because everyone knows you're a legislator. No matter what a legislator does, people are influenced by that fact.
The story Jake presents actually stops short of accusing Rep. DeCesare of attempting to leverage his elected position, only alleging that someone who does not like him found the inherent conflict-of-interest irritating. If the Representative actually did attempt to obtain business by using his elected position, it would be serious misuse of influence. To do so would be not only out-of-bounds but foolish. After all, how much influence does a fiscal conservative have in the Kentucky House anyway? (not enough).
