Insiders Talk: Professional Edition: Winning With Lobbyists by Robert Guyer

Author:Robert Guyer [Guyer, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Government, Political Advocacy, Legislative Branch, State; Provincial & Municipal, Political Science, Political Process, American Government, Law
ISBN: 9781732343108
Google: IYZstwEACAAJ
Goodreads: 44060206
Publisher: Engineering the Law, Inc.
Published: 2019-06-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Ethics Laws for Lobbyists and Clients

The Founders emphasized virtue is necessary for the American form of government to succeed. Benjamin Franklin said, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”259 In a similar vein, John Adams held, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution.”260 Finally, Samuel Adams noted,

He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man. We must not conclude merely upon a man’s haranguing upon liberty, and using the charming sound, that he is fit to be trusted with the liberties of his country.261

Nevertheless, the lure of power corrupts some chosen to office, lobbyists, and clients. Jack Abramoff told the Kentucky legislature, “Government is ordinary, decent people slowly accommodating themselves to a system that is rife with moral predicaments.” 262 He said his legal troubles began after he lost sight of the line between right and wrong.

People Want to Trust Their Leaders

Trust is also essential to democracy, where people must be willing to place political power in the hands of their elected representatives and fellow citizens. Without trust, individuals would be unwilling to relinquish political power to those with opposing viewpoints, even for a short time. They would not believe that others will follow the rules and procedures of governance, or voluntarily hand over power after losing an election. If that trust declines, so does democracy.263

Americans want to believe that those whom we expect to have integrity really have it.264 We may violently object to a legislator’s politics, but we can handle that as long as we think the person is not being “bought off” by money, sex, or improper influences. Corruption among lawmakers and those who lobby them undermines the support, cooperation, trust, and virtue of the people on whom government relies.

Need for Ethics Laws

Ethics laws and the rules and policy flowing from them bring greater transparency to lawmaking, foster a procedurally level playing field among advocates, and limit influences clearly unrelated to setting sound public policy. These laws are few and specific; they do not infringe on advocacy tools and techniques appropriate to petitioning the government for a redress of grievances.

Statutes and associated administrative rules are just part of the body of ethics laws. There are the joint rules of the legislature, rules of each chamber, and guidelines of the legislature’s agencies. The agency charged with enforcing ethics laws administers statutes, adopts administrative rules, and publishes guidance, including opinions on the application of laws. You must protect your principal and yourself from illegal manipulation of and by lawmakers, staff, lobbyists, and special interests. However, there is also legal manipulation.

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