Ethics law follows delegates

DENVER — North Carolina's Democratic delegates moved through a morning buffet line this week, enjoying a free breakfast courtesy of AT&T. All, that is, except a handful of state legislators and staffers.

They paid $22 for the same plate of bacon, eggs and fruit.

"It gets to be absurd," says state Rep. Dan Blue of Raleigh. "I don't mind paying for breakfast, and I don't mind paying twice what the breakfast was worth. But you have to wonder why."

The reason is a "gift ban" included in a 2006 state ethics law that governs what legislators can accept from outside parties. It's similar to new federal restrictions on members of Congress. The laws offer a confusing thicket of regulations just as opportunities for gifts, free meals and entertainment abound at the national conventions. The nonprofit Sunlight Foundation has tracked more than 400 parties at both the Democratic and Republican conventions.

The Democrats finished their convention Thursday night in Denver with a speech by presidential nominee Barack Obama. The Republicans start their convention Monday in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Republican nominee John McCain is expected to announce his nominee for vice president today.

This week in Denver, Gerry Cohen, a legislative employee who is the top bill-drafter and is a member of the Democratic Party's platform committee, has also had to comply with the new state laws. He compares it with his experience as a student caught up in protests at the 1968 Chicago convention.

"Dealing with the tear gas was easier than trying to figure out the ethics laws," he says. (Char-O)

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Re: Ethics law follows delegates

Submitted by unbiased on September 1, 2008 - 10:44am.

"It gets to be ubsurd, I dont mind paying for breakfast, or paying for twice what it is worth, but you have to wonder why?"

Mr. Blue, you have to wonder why?? Are you kidding?? You don't understand why it is wrong for a person in your position to receive "anything of value" from a person or entity that has issues before you to decide? That says to me that you are in your position simply to receive the "perks" and have no interest in doing the things you politicians always espouse, "doing the work of the people."

Bull. You politicians make me sick.

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Re: Ethics

Submitted by bnartist on August 30, 2008 - 6:44am.

Mr Terrell, You certified on February 7, 2008 that your committee intends to neither receive nor expend more than $3,000 yet you are soliciting donations of up to $4,000 on your various websites. You are also soliciting donations on Facebook and on other sites eg:

I really need to get off to a good start for the 3rd Campaign Finance Quarter. Please send what you can. Let’s defeat Dan Blue in November. If you would like to donate, please send donations to:

You have filed no campaign reports since February 7, 2008 yet you persist in soliciting funds:

No donation is too small. Little is much when the Lord is in it! I need your vote , support and your prayers. Spread the WORD! Thanks Paul

You either have very little support or you are not properly reporting the contributions you have received or the expenditures you have made.

Next you'll be telling us Dan Blue is a liar because he's not actually blue.

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Re: Ethics law follows delegates

Submitted by tangoz on August 29, 2008 - 10:37pm.

What's wrong Dan, can't a wealthy lawyer like you afford breakfast? I see that you went to the Democratic National Convention. I assume you still pulled in all of your endorsements even though were not in town for some of them.

Are you going to cut taxes for 95% of us like Obama is? Are you going to get universal healthcare passed in NC like Obama is nationally? Or better yet, are you going to clean up corruption in the NC Democratic party like Palin did in the Alaska republican Party?

What was that Dan? No, No, and No? Well you have had 25 years to do the right thing. And all you have managed is a Mental healthcare boondoggle, a 21.4 billion dollar budget with billions in additional borrowing, and a probation system that has gotten people killed.

Paul Terrell III
http:.//terrellforhouse33.blogspot.com

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Chicago in 1968

Submitted by gercohen on August 29, 2008 - 9:33am.

I was a McCarthy volunteer with the Connecticut delegation in Chicago in 1968 (a history teacher at my high school was a delegate and invited students out to the convention, a bunch of us brought sleeping bags and shared a room and I handed out leaflets for Gene.) If you went out the front door of the Congress Pick Hotel you got teargassed. I came to Chapel Hill as a freshman three weeks later. By the way, I am on the Rules Committee, not Platform.

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