Editorial: Restoring Trust - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Restoring Trust

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:20:08 GMT
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    •   

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - A lobbyist should not be permitted to spend one penny on a public official.

If that is not part of a new state ethics law in a potential special session of the legislature on ethics reform, why bother even calling for a special session?  Tough penalties for violating that component of the law should also accompany the change. 

Another must add in an ethics bill is for all of us to know who is bankrolling candidates.

And know it before election day.  Banning transferring campaign donations from one political action committee to another is the key to this change – from the donors, the candidates and their parties. 

The ethics commission should also be given subpoena power – with restrictions to limit abusing that power. 

Critical financial issues must be addressed in the next legislative session but without restoring integrity and trust in our public officials it will be difficult to win buy in from voters on any issues.