Lawmakers as lobbyists

A special bipartisan legislative committee that has to raise $1 million for a summer convention is asking for big bucks from lobbyists and Utah corporations with issues before the Legislature.

State law prohibits lobbyists and businesses from giving to lawmakers' campaign accounts or political action committees, and normally the 45-day general session is off limits for fund raising. But the Legislature's general counsel says the convention fund raising is legal.

Still, some lawmakers and government watchdogs are crying foul over asking for the cash, saying such conflicts of interests are bad government.

"Yeah, it is a little troubling," House Majority Leader Greg Curtis said in response to the complaints. He is the House co-chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures Planning Committee, whose job it is to plan the 6,000-legislator, four-day meeting next July.

Curtis said some "big businesses" in Utah that have been invited to give between $2,500 and $100,000 to sponsor the convention also undoubtedly have bills or issues now before lawmakers.

He said leaders talked about such conflicts, but with an attorney's opinion saying such in-session fund raising is legal, and faced with falling way behind in fund-raising goals, they decided to ask for cash right through the 2004 Legislature.

A week ago several GOP legislative leaders met with top bosses of about 20 leading businesses — like Qwest, Fidelity Investments, Utah Power and Zions Bank — at the Grand America Hotel for a Power Point presentation by NCSL officials and others to show local businesses just what they'll get in the way of benefits if they sponsor the convention, he added.

"To my knowledge, we have no further such meetings planned" before lawmakers adjourn March 3 at midnight, said Curtis.

Although the Legislature's general counsel has determined the fund raising is legal because the money won't go to anyone's election campaign, at least one Democrat on Curtis' committee disagrees with the in-session fund raising.

"We should not be fund raising now," said Rep. Ty McCartney, D-Salt Lake. While some lawmakers on the committee have been given "contacts" by staff to seek contributions during the session, McCartney said he has not been asked, and he wouldn't make the calls anyway.

"We're probably asking big businesses who have legislation pending that affects them," he said. "We shouldn't be meeting with these guys, asking for (money) commitments now."