Texas Political Ethics?

Don't get me wrong....Texas politicians and bureaucrats are no different from their counterparts in all the other states, but when they try to pull a fast one in Texas, it's a real doozy.

An editorial in today's Star-Telegram hit the nail on the head in its criticism of the Texas Ethics Commission's ruling about gifts to state officials - specifically, the reporting of the value of such gifts.

According to the Commission, if the gift is monetary, such as a check, it only needs to be reported as a "check." The amount of the check is not required in the report.

Perhaps the wording of the law supports the Commission's interpretation that the amount of gifts in the form of checks is not required - I can't say, having not read the law itself. But the next session of the Texas State Legislature will tell whether or not the Capitol is filled with crooks when we see if the wording of the law is made clear, even to the Ethics Commission, that the monetary value of gift checks must be reported by the recipients.

My personal feeling is that no government official should be allowed to accept any monetary gift of significant value (currently defined as more than $250). And in case someone wants to whine that I would, therefore, make it illegal for someone or some organization to honor a state official with a gift of appreciation....well, it's the thought that counts, and $250 is enough "appreciation" for anyone whose job it is to serve the public in the first place.