Ethics advocates blast proposed study committee

Advocates for tougher lobbying restrictions at the state Capitol reacted angrily Tuesday when a bill to create a study committee on ethics and accountability changed substantially in committee.

Senate Resolution 1220 sought creation of a committee of five senators and four members of the Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform -- a coalition that includes members of groups such Georgia Common Cause and tea party activists -- to study the need for ethics reform and deliver a report to the Senate in September. But a substitute version brought in the Senate Rules Committee by Chairman Don Balfour, R-Snellville, did not include any alliance members and named senators to the panel whom alliance members believe oppose ethics reform, including Balfour himself.

Julianne Thompson, the state director of the Georgia Tea Party Patriots, said she was “very disappointed” with the new version of the resolution.

“I’d like to say we were completely surprised," she said, "but given a lot of things that have happened this legislative session, there is not much that can shock us anymore.”

An email circulated by the tea party group called the proposed study panel a “farce” and urged the resolution be defeated.

Balfour defended the changes to the resolution.

“We wanted senior members of the Legislature to be on it, and we put a number of Democrats and a number of Republicans [on the panel],” Balfour said.

SR 1220 is sponsored by Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, who also sponsored a bill that would cap lobbyist gifts. That bill died in Balfour's committee without a hearing.

McKoon would not comment specifically on the changes to the resolution.

“I think you’re going to see a broader discussion of this issue -- not just here at the General Assembly, but within the Republican Party here in this state,” he said.

Members of the alliance met in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday to urge candidates to sign a pledge to sign on to legislation next year creating a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts. Bills in the House and Senate seeking such a cap died in committee this year.

By midday Tuesday, the pledge had eight signatures split between incumbent legislators and candidates.