Senate Begins Debate on Ethics Legislation

The Senate began its floor debate of ethics legislation proposed by Sen. Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph).  As outlined in the Post-Dispatch, his bill

would add more heft to the Missouri Ethics Commission, require more disclosure of campaign donations made during the legislative session, ban most committee-to-committee transfers and broaden the definition of lobbyist. The bill would also make it illegal for lawmakers to work as political consultants for other lawmakers.

The debate lasted a little more than two hours, and was put on hold when it became clear that Sen. Jason Crowell (R-Cape Girardeau), a close friend and client of disgraced Rod Jetton, announced that he had a series of amendments.  Listen to the whole debate:

One of the more bizarre comments in the debate, flagged by the Post-Dispatch's Tony Messenger, was from Sen. Kevin Engler (R-Farmington).  Apparently annoyed with the discussion between Shields and Sen. Joan Bray (D-University City), Engler piped in because he "thought somebody who would actually have to live under the bill should ask some questions.” (Shields and Bray are both in their final terms.)

Senators sometimes forget that the world does not revolve around them, but we all live under the current ethics laws, and will all live under any new rules. I'm not really concerned about Engler's ability to get free lunches or a cushy lobbyist job when he leaves the Senate, but I am concerned about the influence of special interests on the work of the General Assembly.