Closing holes in Idaho's ethic laws is overdue

The 2009 Legislature has two big jobs that cannot wait: setting a budget that limits the pain on public schools, universities and health and welfare, and tackling Idaho's transportation troubles.

Still, lawmakers need to address problems as they come to the forefront. For example, they can plug a hole in Idaho's bribery law.

A recent story by the Statesman's Dan Popkey brought the shadowy realm of campaign finance into a bright and unsavory light.

In October, Idaho Association of Realtors lobbyist John Eaton promised a $500 contribution to Garden City Republican legislative candidate Joan Cloonan. But in her capacity as a Department of Environmental Quality board member, Cloonan voted yes on a rule affecting septic systems that was opposed by the Realtors. The Realtors rescinded their donation, and Eaton acknowledged Cloonan's vote was a factor in the decision.

Smarmy? Yes. Illegal? No, according to the secretary of state's and attorney general's offices, which looked into the matter. That is a stinging indictment of Idaho ethics laws.

At least one Idaho lawmaker, Eagle Republican Rep. Raul Labrador, is looking to change this situation. He's working on a bill that would make it a felony offense to offer financial benefits in exchange for a public action. The idea deserves bipartisan support, albeit belatedly.

Lawmakers have had a troubling tendency to move slowly to address shortcomings in ethics law. In some cases, they've been downright stubborn about it. The result, predictably, is a weak set of Idaho ethics laws. The Chicago-based Better Government Association ranked Idaho's ethics laws at No. 44 nationally; its campaign finance laws actually fared better, but still came in at a mediocre 29th in the nation.

On many matters, including ethics, Idaho legislators often wait until a problem becomes too obvious to ignore. Is this problem obvious enough? It should be now.

No matter how Eaton explains away the situation - "I wish I would have handled this better, and certainly I could have" - the fact is that the Realtors' promised contribution looks conditional, hinged on Cloonan's vote. Perception becomes reality. This one reflects badly on lobbyists and lawmakers alike, and fuels public cynicism.

So how do Idaho lawmakers want to be perceived? Do they want to be viewed as elected leaders who are willing to do what it takes to improve their image and protect the public trust? We'll see.

"Our View" is the editorial position of the Idaho Statesman. It is an unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman's editorial board. To comment on an editorial or suggest a topic, e-mail editorial@idahostatesman.com.