Lobbyists contribute to campaign event for lieutenant governor

A week after new Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little said it was the "best practice" for elected officials not to accept campaign contributions from lobbyists during the legislative session, dozens of lobbyists with issues pending before the 2009 Legislature are chipping in more than $6,000 to sponsor a campaign event that benefits him.

This comes as minority Democrats promote a bill to forbid lobbyists from giving contributions during the session to elected officials like Little. At least 16 states ban or restrict such giving from all contributors during legislative sessions; another 12 restrict giving by lobbyists, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Little, appointed earlier this month by Gov. Butch Otter, would use the proceeds to run for lieutenant governor in 2010.

During a taped Idaho Public Television interview on Friday, the former Republican state Senate leader from Emmett said lawmakers frown upon campaign contributions from lobbyists during the session to avoid appearance of any impropriety.

"Generally, if you look at the reporting, there is none," Little said during the public affairs program "Idaho Reports."

As lieutenant governor, Little presides over the Senate and is the tiebreaker in any deadlocked votes.

Little added that while he's never seen favors exchanged for campaign money in the Legislature, "it's just the best practice, when the legislative process is going on, there's no campaign contributions."

Even so, about 30 lobbyists are listed as members of the "Host Committee" for Little's luncheon campaign event on Friday in The Rose Room, a ballroom in Downtown Boise. To get on that committee, they had to pay at least $200, money destined for Little's campaign fund.

The host committee list includes lobbyists Bill Roden, working to fend off a proposal to boost the state's beer and wine tax to pay for substance abuse programs; Skip Smyser, who represents a company trying to win a multimillion dollar contract to provide a broadband network to public schools; and Qwest Communications International, which also is vying for that contract.

On Tuesday, Little conceded that his campaign event conflicts with his statement on Idaho Public Television.

"Guilty as charged," Little said. "It may appear a little disingenuous, but I never even thought about it."

Sen. Kate Kelly, D-Boise and an advocate for ethics reforms, is pushing the bill that would restrict contributions from lobbyists to lawmakers, the lieutenant governor and the governor during the Legislature.

Little's contention that he "never even thought about it" is ample indication that lawmakers have grown so accustomed to the present system where lobbyists can mix influence with money that they rarely give it a second thought, Kelly said.

If the bill clears a committee hearing, and there were a tie vote in the Senate on the measure, Little said he'd cast a vote to approve it - even though he has no plans to cancel his event.