Editorial: Integrity Issues - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Integrity Issues

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

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MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Black eyes continue for our state. Whether the 11 people, including four legislators, are found guilty or not of the indictments by an Alabama grand jury and acted on by the federal government remains to be seen.

What is clear is the process will further erode our confidence in our elected officials, folks who lobby them, and those of means who exert undue influence with their pocket books.

The indictments allege the defendants' corrupt conduct infiltrated every layer of the legislative process in a wide-ranging conspiracy to buy and sell votes on gambling legislation.

Manipulating the democratic process for personal gain ultimately ruins the democratic process.

Whatever the outcome of these cases, it is clear more stringent ethics legislation is needed in the next legislative session.

Less attention and time needs to be spent on gambling concerns in the next legislative session. And more attention needs to be paid to integrity issues in candidate races.

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