This is a guest opinion column
An open letter to the people of the State of Alabama,
Every Alabama citizen reading this should know your state senators will likely vote Tuesday on HB 227, a bill that encourages corruption. This matters to you, your neighbors, and your families.
We are the members of the Alabama Ethics Commission. We are volunteers asked to serve by the leaders of this state for limited terms. More important, we are citizens of Alabama just like you. We are in a unique position to understand the Ethics laws and how important they are to all of us. You deserve to know that HB 227 will make it easier for money to influence your lawmakers. Those who support this bill say that it makes the Ethics laws “better,” but it doesn’t make it better for YOU. This bill was created by politicians for politicians. They say this bill makes the ethics laws “clearer,” but the only thing that is clearer in this bill is that those with money will be able to more easily corrupt your elected officials and public servants. The legislature knows we object to this bill and the Attorney General objects to this bill, but our combined opposition hasn’t stopped some members of the legislature from attempting to push the bill through in the final three days of the session; but your voice can stop them. Click HERE to see our objections to HB 227 that we shared with the legislature.
We know they haven’t heard from you because, like all of us, you are living your lives, working your jobs, raising your families, and trying to keep your head above water. Ethics isn’t and shouldn’t be at the front of your mind and your leaders won’t tell you what this bill will do because if they did, you would be outraged and try to stop them. A vote for HB 227 is an invitation for corruption and you can tell them not to send it.
HB 227 removes the Ethics Commission, an independent agency, from any involvement in investigating alleged use of office for personal gain or corrupt influence, decriminalizes ethics violations, including the “gift ban” and allows unlimited and undisclosed gifts from lobbyists as long as they claim to be “friends.” As Attorney General Marshall stated: “This bill assigns civil penalties (referred to by some as ‘speeding tickets’) to an array of serious and substantial violations of the public trust, regardless of the amount of money involved.”
What can you do? You can tell them to stop this bill. We can all feel left out of the political process, but your elected officials DO care how you feel about legislation they are considering, and you can make a difference. Let your voice be heard. Make sure they know that you want to keep the Ethics laws in this state strong and that you don’t want them to make it any easier for money to influence politics. You can easily find your representative HERE and find their e-mail address HERE. Money and power may fund campaigns, but your vote is what elects your leaders. Make sure your state senator knows you want to protect them and the citizens of this state from corruption and ask them to vote “NO” on HB 227, the “ethics bill.”
John Plunk, Chair
Lyn Stuart, Vice-Chair
Brig Gen (R) Edward F. Crowell (USAF)