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  Sen. Marty's gift ban was ahead of the curve
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ContributorCraverguy 
Last EditedCraverguy  Jun 30, 2009 01:26pm
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CategoryOpinion
AuthorDoug Grow
News DateTuesday, February 26, 2008 06:00:00 PM UTC0:0
DescriptionEvery once in awhile, Minnesotans should pause and say thanks to John Marty.

Marty, you recall, is the DFL state senator from Roseville who 13 years ago pushed a gift ban through a grumbling Minnesota Legislature. No longer could lobbyists, or others seeking influence with our state politicians, buy so much as a cup of coffee for our leaders.

A reminder of how far ahead of the curve Marty was in this ethics business came out of Louisiana last week, where legislators unhappily passed ethics reforms pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Among other things, the reforms put a $50 ceiling on meals and drinks that lobbyists can buy lawmakers. That's right. Fifty dollars.

"We're trying for the gold standard in ethics,'' said Jindal of the reform.

Remarkably, some in Louisiana found the $50 ceiling awfully restrictive.

The head of the Louisiana Restaurant Association pointed out that dining out on $50 "is not a lot of money these days.''

Louisiana Rep. Charmaine Marchand told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that the ceiling would force legislators to eat at fast-food restaurants, quickly adding she was joking.

She was serious, though, when she expressed concern that such a ceiling could create "inadvertent'' problems for legislators and lobbyists if a meal and cocktails "went one penny over the limit.''

"All this ethics stuff is what we need,'' she said, "but we need to be careful about what we do.''

Marty laughed when he heard about the "gold-standard ethics'' reform and concerns.

"Fifty dollars!'' he said, incredulously. "Well, I suppose the way inflation is going, that's about what it will cost at a fast-food restaurant 10 years from now.''
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