Scandal illustrates need for political ethics reform

Utahns are watching a real political scandal unfolding in Chicago this week, as Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is charged by federal officials with trying to "sell" the U.S. Senate seat held by President-elect Barack Obama.

At the heart of the scandal, federal prosecutors say, is an atmosphere of "pay to play" in Illinois and Chicago politics.

Those seeking favors from Illinois politicians must "pay," through campaign contributions or outright bribes, in order to "play" in political decisions.

Chicago is known for its rough-and-tumble, and corrupt, politics.

Utah is known for clean politics.

But while residents of Illinois may have reason to be cynical about their elected leaders, a growing number of Utahns, too, have been complaining about ethics in state government here.

Utah politics have changed over the quarter century that I've been watching and reporting on it.

The stakes have gone up, both in what state government can do for individuals and businesses, and in what it costs to run a race for governor, attorney general, state Senate and House.

By the standards of many other larger states, one can still win a legislative race in Utah on the cheap, for $25,000 or $30,000.

But many legislative campaigns are much more than that — with some Senate races costing upward of $100,000.

A contested governor's race can run into the millions of dollars.

And millions of dollars were spent in 2008 on state and local races.

Where is all this campaign cash coming from?

More and more, various studies by the Deseret News has shown over the years, the money is coming from special-interest groups who desire one thing or another from the governor and Legislature.

Some incumbent legislators fund their whole re-election campaigns with 100 percent special interest money — not one dime from their own constituents.

And with such large sums of cash coming in, and as the importance of political decisions at the state and local levels of government increases, so does the temptation for wrongdoing — for "paying to play."

So, where do we draw the ethical line on campaign cash and the influence of lobbyists and the special interests they represent?