According to investigative reporter Jon Lender, reporting in the magisterial Hartford Courant on the DeLuca mess: “One ethics law says ‘no person shall offer or give to a public official ... anything of value, including ... a gift, loan, political contribution, reward or promise of future employment based on any understanding that the vote, official action or judgment of the public official ... would be ... influenced.’”
The law, be it noted, punishes the gift giver, not the recipient, who is likely to be a politician. The ethical law, as written, would punish the FBI agent who, acting in his official capacity, offered a bribe to Lou DeLuca. It does not set a punishment for DeLuca for either accepting a bribe from the FBI agent or refusing the bribe and declining to report it. If there is such a rule, it is probably lying rusting in the tool box of the ethics commission. If there is no such law, perhaps some of the ethical paragons in Connecticut’s ruling Democrat Party might want to fashion one. Nothing would prevent Michael Lawlor on the Judiciary committee from proposing a rule that would require any legislator to report a bribe attempt on pain of being ejected from the legislature if he fails to do so. With such a law or legislative rule in place, we would not need silly public hearings when legislators stray into ethical brambles. Expulsion would be automatic on a report that a bribe has been offered and not reported.
And "Sicko" is out. The “documentary” by Michael Moore – some consider it propaganda, others treason – had a salutary effect on Colin McEnroe. “I just saw ‘Sicko,’” McEnroe wrote on his blog. “I can honestly say: I laughed. And I cried. When it comes out, it will be required viewing. And it might change this country.
“My favorite line is from an American woman living in France. ‘Here, the government is afraid of people. In America, the people are afraid of the government.’”
It’s cheering to know that the sons and daughters of Danton are not frightened by Nicholas Sarkosy, France’s new president. Sarkosy models himself after Ronald Reagan rather than the estimable Fidel Castro and his faithful old brother Raul, who first introduced Castro to his stinking little communist pieties.
The law, be it noted, punishes the gift giver, not the recipient, who is likely to be a politician. The ethical law, as written, would punish the FBI agent who, acting in his official capacity, offered a bribe to Lou DeLuca. It does not set a punishment for DeLuca for either accepting a bribe from the FBI agent or refusing the bribe and declining to report it. If there is such a rule, it is probably lying rusting in the tool box of the ethics commission. If there is no such law, perhaps some of the ethical paragons in Connecticut’s ruling Democrat Party might want to fashion one. Nothing would prevent Michael Lawlor on the Judiciary committee from proposing a rule that would require any legislator to report a bribe attempt on pain of being ejected from the legislature if he fails to do so. With such a law or legislative rule in place, we would not need silly public hearings when legislators stray into ethical brambles. Expulsion would be automatic on a report that a bribe has been offered and not reported.
And "Sicko" is out. The “documentary” by Michael Moore – some consider it propaganda, others treason – had a salutary effect on Colin McEnroe. “I just saw ‘Sicko,’” McEnroe wrote on his blog. “I can honestly say: I laughed. And I cried. When it comes out, it will be required viewing. And it might change this country.
“My favorite line is from an American woman living in France. ‘Here, the government is afraid of people. In America, the people are afraid of the government.’”
It’s cheering to know that the sons and daughters of Danton are not frightened by Nicholas Sarkosy, France’s new president. Sarkosy models himself after Ronald Reagan rather than the estimable Fidel Castro and his faithful old brother Raul, who first introduced Castro to his stinking little communist pieties.
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