Move along
Nothing to look at here.
That's the message regarding lobbyist influence in Utah campaigns and policy making in today's column in the Deseret News by Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb.
Pignanelli believes the story about Sandy City bonuses is a pretty big scandal and has some legs as a political issue. Much more powerful, he opines, than the press' "constant rewarming of tired issues regarding lobbyist gifts and campaign contributions."
He adds, "No candidate has won or lost because of legal lobbyist gifts, campaign contributions or internal party machinations."
Webb, who is less impressed that the Sandy bonus story is a political timebomb, completely agrees that lobbyist influence on the Legislature and other public officials is a non-issue.
"Despite all the hand-wringing over ethics, coziness with lobbyists, gifts, playing rough with opponents and so forth, Utah has a pretty clean political industry compared to a lot of states. Does anyone have clear evidence of down-and-dirty graft, corruption and vote-selling?"
In other words, bring us the video and audio tapes from an FBI bribery sting or sit down and shut up.
Oh, by the way, both commentators are, well, yeah, lobbyists.
Pignanelli's client list is huge. Here it is, copied from the Lieutenant Governor's web page:
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Artworks for Kids
COGNOS
Comcast f/k/a ATT Broadband
Intel Corporation
Maverik Country Stores, Inc.
Medco Health Solutions
Mustang Development
National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
NHB Holdings
Novell
Regence Blue Cross And Blue Shield
Sallie Mae Bank
Salt Lake City Council
Sorenson Media
TIAA/CREF
UAFS
UCLA
United Concerts
Utah Cable TV Association
Utah Dental Hygienists Association
Utah Interactive, LLC
Utah Media Coalition
Utah School Employees Association
White City Water Improvement District
Woodbury Corporation
And here is Webb's client list -- much smaller but chock full of heavyweights:
Salt Lake Chamber
The Exoro Group
Zions Bank
-- Dan Harrie
That's the message regarding lobbyist influence in Utah campaigns and policy making in today's column in the Deseret News by Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb.
Pignanelli believes the story about Sandy City bonuses is a pretty big scandal and has some legs as a political issue. Much more powerful, he opines, than the press' "constant rewarming of tired issues regarding lobbyist gifts and campaign contributions."
He adds, "No candidate has won or lost because of legal lobbyist gifts, campaign contributions or internal party machinations."
Webb, who is less impressed that the Sandy bonus story is a political timebomb, completely agrees that lobbyist influence on the Legislature and other public officials is a non-issue.
"Despite all the hand-wringing over ethics, coziness with lobbyists, gifts, playing rough with opponents and so forth, Utah has a pretty clean political industry compared to a lot of states. Does anyone have clear evidence of down-and-dirty graft, corruption and vote-selling?"
In other words, bring us the video and audio tapes from an FBI bribery sting or sit down and shut up.
Oh, by the way, both commentators are, well, yeah, lobbyists.
Pignanelli's client list is huge. Here it is, copied from the Lieutenant Governor's web page:
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Artworks for Kids
COGNOS
Comcast f/k/a ATT Broadband
Intel Corporation
Maverik Country Stores, Inc.
Medco Health Solutions
Mustang Development
National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
NHB Holdings
Novell
Regence Blue Cross And Blue Shield
Sallie Mae Bank
Salt Lake City Council
Sorenson Media
TIAA/CREF
UAFS
UCLA
United Concerts
Utah Cable TV Association
Utah Dental Hygienists Association
Utah Interactive, LLC
Utah Media Coalition
Utah School Employees Association
White City Water Improvement District
Woodbury Corporation
And here is Webb's client list -- much smaller but chock full of heavyweights:
Salt Lake Chamber
The Exoro Group
Zions Bank
-- Dan Harrie
8:02 PM
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