What to Do When Lobbyists and Lawmakers Are Lovers

Remark that lobbyists and lawmakers are "in bed" with one another and you'll hardly get a reaction from the miserable cynics (present!) who follow politics daily. If anything, this fact gets too little coverage because it is so taken for granted.

But what about when lobbyists and lawmakers are, you know, actually in bed together. Arm-twisting after dark. Late-night legislating. Engaging in closed-door committee meetings, you might say. 

Well, one state will soon be considering a bill that would have registered lobbyists disclose their sexual relations with lawmakers or legislative staff on their monthly gift disclosure forms. 

From the bill introduced Wednesday in the Missouri legislature, by way of The Kansas City Star (emphasis on the wonderful last sentence is ours):

For purposes of subdivision (2) of this subsection, the term "gift" shall include sexual relations between a registered lobbyist and a member of the general assembly or his or her staff. Relations between married persons or between persons who entered into a relationship prior to the registration of the lobbyist, the election of the member to the general assembly, or the employment of the staff person shall not be reportable under this subdivision. The reporting of sexual relations for purposes of this subdivision shall not require a dollar valuation.

Lobbyist-Lawmker love has been a topic of interest at times here in Tennessee. Former state Rep. Rob Briley's infamous meltdown

 (a lobbyist named Mary Littleton who is not, by the way, the same Mary Littleton currently serving in the legislature). And former Democratic House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh was

during his time running the chamber, a relationship that sparked interest and occasional controversy. 

Currently, lobbyists in Tennessee must disclose "the name and business address of any member of the lobbyist’s immediate family who is an official within the legislative or executive branch." That cover spouses, but not what you might call more casual lobbying. Generally speaking, gifts "from employers and lobbyists to a candidate for public office, an official in the legislative or executive branch (including all employees of both), or the immediate family of the candidate or official are prohibited." Exceptions to that rule include gifts between people who have a "close personal friendship," the definition of which can be determined by the ethics commission using a variety of potential factors including some like this which made us giggle given the context of this discussion: "Whether the executive branch employee or immediate family member has reciprocated with a gift to the lobbyist or the employer of the lobbyist in the past, and whether the gift has been of similar value."

In any case, we're hoping some enterprising Tennessee legislator will copy and paste the Missouri bill and propose it here, if only so that we can keep track of who opposes it.