Walter Dalton proposed a litany of ethics and transparency reforms Wednesday designed to revive the public’s trust in government and distance himself from scandals that tarnished the past two Democratic governors.
The Democratic candidate for governor proposed a plan to limit legislative leaders’ terms to eight consecutive years, create an independent panel to draw political boundaries and expand campaign contributions and public records disclosure. He also wants tougher penalties for public corruption crimes and a better equipped State Ethics Commission, the government’s watchdog agency.
Dalton’s ideas are not new, but his proposal underscores how political scandals have plagued state government in recent years.
One particular point in Dalton’s three-page proposal appeared aimed at Republican rival Pat McCrory: more detailed financial disclosure forms available online. Democrats are harping on McCrory to produce his federal tax returns – as Dalton did earlier this year – amid questions about the GOP candidate’s job as a policy consultant for a Charlotte law firm that lobbies state government.
Dalton stopped short of requiring gubernatorial candidates to release their taxes but he said it’s a point worth more discussion. “They deserve to know how their public servants make a living and what potential conflicts they have,” Dalton said.
McCrory’s campaign issued a statement dismissing Dalton’s proposals and linking him to the previous two Democratic governors, Mike Easley and incumbent Bev Perdue, who have both endured ethical controversies.
A spokesman also criticized Dalton for his role as a former state budget writer in the Senate, overseeing a closed-door process, suggesting he is hypocritical. “Dalton is a card-carrying member of the good-old boy and good-old girl system of our broken state government that has produced scandal after scandal,” spokesman Ricky Diaz said.
McCrory, who declined to comment, plans to release his own proposal in coming weeks.
Comments
"I know nothing !"
August 30, 2012 - 5:11am — inandohThis reminds me of Sgt. Shultz of "Hogan's Heroes" when he said, "I know nothing! I know nothing of any corruption. I know nothing!"
Does this mean we get to finally find out what really happened at State Democratic Party Headquarters in the "close-talking" incident?
Wally
August 29, 2012 - 9:36pm — mountainmanWally is absolutely part of the culture of corruption in Raleigh. Dalton as governor would be no more than a extension of Bev/Easley. Voters will remember that Wally was there through it all, and said NOTHING!!!!! His silence in the midst of scandal and corruption proves his guilt. Now he wants to talk about ethics, that would be laughable if not for the serious situation facing our state and country.
Dalton was silent re: Dem corrupt practices for 12 years
August 29, 2012 - 9:05pm — concerned53Wally is certainly a hypocrite as he condoned the corrupt behaviors of the dems for 12 years as he said NOTHING. I would suggest that he is as guilty of the corrupt behaviors as Easley & Bev. Perhaps that is why he does not want to release his own tax returns from the time before he was Lt Gov. I can look on line to learn what he earned as Lt Gov without having to look at his returns. But I would like to see who his clients were when he was in the senate and how many conflicts of interest he is guilty of. Maybe he's a hypocrite and a crook....