KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Palin signs new ethics bill
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by Bill McAllister
Monday, July 9, 2007
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Less than an hour after the jury came in with a guilty verdict against former Rep. Tom Anderson, Gov. Sarah Palin signed into law ethics legislation that was prompted in no small part by the FBI's public corruption probe.
The new set of laws requires legislators to get ethics training, makes them disclose lavish meals purchased for them by lobbyists and says they must say in detail what they do for outside consulting fees.
The governor and lawmakers at today's bill signing noted that the verdict and the new laws are not going to be the end of the story.
Rep. Jay Ramras said the fallout will be memorable.
"This is going to be a very tumultuous time in Alaska's history," said Ramras, R-Fairbanks.
The signing of omnibus ethics legislation would have been a big event in any case, with scandals in recent years concerning the stock holdings of former Attorney General Gregg Renkes, controversy over the consulting contracts of former Senate President Ben Stevens and the indictment of Anderson last December. This May there were also indictments brought against Rep. Vic Kohring and former Reps. Bruce Weyhrauch and Pete Kott.
But as Palin signed the ethics bill into law within an hour of the guilty verdict in the Anderson case, the moment took on even more gravity.
"I think it's a shame that the feds had to come in also, to find that things were amiss and that we have to make some changes," Palin said. "That is the fact though, and I respect the jury's opinion on this."
Rep. Bob Lynn said he supports the ethics bill.
"Perhaps we've reached a low point. Now we're looking for a high point. I think HB 109 may be that high point," said Lynn, R-Anchorage.
House Bill 109 tightens up the definition of bribery, requires legislators to make financial disclosures when leaving office, puts new disclosure requirements on consulting fees and meals purchased by lobbyists for lawmakers and makes numerous other clarifications in laws applying to both the executive and legislative branches.
"A bipartisan effort is what this was all about, in this comprehensive ethics reform bill. The focus was on doing right for the people of Alaska," Palin said.
The governor and some lawmakers said they're not done.
Rep. Max Gruenberg said there is more work ahead.
"We are seeing the wheels of justice grinding now, and as we see what's going on, we're going to see other things that need to be done to improve the process," said Gruenberg, D-Anchorage.
Lynn said the verdict should not reflect on the entire body.
"It's not everybody. Things like this happen and it throws mud on the entire elected process, which is very, very unfortunate. I hate to see this happen, but the process works. The legislative process works -- eventually, and the legal process works," Lynn said.
Such is the extent of the comfort that can be taken on this tragic day in state history.
Not everyone thinks there needs to be a new round of ethics legislation in 2008.
Ramras said some time should pass to assess the affect that House Bill 109 is having. He said some of the things the Legislature did might end up being too restrictive.
Some lawmakers will say privately that Anderson clearly appeared to be guilty and needed to be found so, for the good of the institution of the Legislature.
There were also calls for compassion. Lynn said it's important to put a human face on the tragedy. He asked for prayers for Anderson, his parents, his children and his wife, Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage.
Contact Bill McAllister at bmcallister@ktuu.com
