Thursday, June 25, 2009
Kotz / Law and Order / Legislature / Politics Tennessee Legislature Gets an F for Conflict of Interest
Posted by Pete Kotz on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 2:38 PM
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The Center for Public Integrity, the non-partisan group that puts fire to the feet of those we elect, doesn't think highly of the way Tennessee conducts its business. Or more appropriately, hides its business. The group has given the state an F for how little it forces politicians to disclose their financial interests. Even Alabama -- Alabama! -- got a C. Writes Andy Sher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
The nonpartisan center bases its rankings on a 43-question survey that measures public access to information on legislators' employment, investments, personal finances, property holdings and other activities outside the Legislature. Disclosures required by Tennessee politicians lost points in a variety of areas. Among them were failing to require legislators to list a value range or amount for their income. Other areas include no requirement to describe entities in which a lawmaker holds investments and no requirement for listing real estate holdings.Hmmm, maybe we need that ethics commission after all?
