Inquirer Editorial: Limit gifts to lawmakers

Just because it's legal now for Pennsylvania lawmakers to take gifts from special interests, businessmen, and other power brokers doesn't make it good public policy.

In fact, it ought to be against the law for elected officials to accept anything of substantial value, if there's not an outright ban on all gift-giving.

The latest filings on gifts accepted by state officials, including former Gov. Edward G. Rendell, provide a window on just how lavish donors can be in bestowing favors.

Officials reported accepting trips to faraway places - China, India, and Ireland - Super Bowl jaunts, tickets to galas, and meals.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) went to Dublin at the expense of a Massachusetts nonprofit. The Eagles paid for State Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.) to attend a playoff game in Dallas. Rendell took a private plane ride valued at $11,000 to speak at an Iowa Democratic Committee dinner.

Under the rules, officials have to report anything worth more than $250, and travel and hospitality valued at more than $650. But they can still accept these gifts.

Lawmakers often defend the state's lax rules by saying it's OK because they have to disclose what they've received. But with only an annual-filing requirement, there is no way for the public to keep tabs in real time on the favors being lavished on elected officials.

The pro forma denials that overseas junkets, hard-to-get tickets to sporting events, and expensive meals have any impact on policy decisions "fuels more cynicism because there is no objective way for the public to verify" the claims, notes Philadelphia Board of Ethics director J. Shane Creamer Jr.

The unusual access to elected officials afforded many donors should be enough of a concern to ban the practice.

There's no reason that state officials should schmooze at donors' expense, particularly since officials typically say such outings serve some public purpose. If that's the case, then officials should be paying for the trips and events with state funds.

State Rep. Babette Josephs (D., Phila.), has the right idea in promoting a reform to rein in gifts. Her proposal would bar legislators from taking anything worth more than $25, with a $650 limit on gifts and hospitality from one donor, lobbyist, or firm.

As in the area of campaign-finance law - where the state has no limits - Pennsylvania is an outlier among the many states that impose limits on gift-giving to lawmakers and other officials.

It's not a distinction of which the state should be proud.