Jazz tickets: $2,586. Meals: $1,871. Travel and lodging: $1,431. Golf: $350. Miscellaneous swag: $672.
When it comes to accepting freebies from legislative lobbyists, Dmitrich, who received $6,910 worth of gifts in 2007, is the undisputed King of Bling.
And Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City ($4,999); Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo ($4,197); Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara ($2,704); Rep. Greg Curtis, R-Sandy ($2,182); and Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, ($2,035) make up his court.
Those aren't the only lawmakers who create the appearance of impropriety and sully the reputation of the Legislature by accepting gifts. They're just the worst offenders.
We'd love to tell you about each and every lawmaker who waddled up to the trough, and document each and every concert ticket, greens fee and free meal, but that's not possible. Lobbyists spent $279,000 on state legislators and executive branch officials last year. We simply don't have the space.
Plus, most of the gifts listed on lobbyist disclosure forms come with no names attached due to Utah laws that help lobbyists hide lawmakers who accept handouts. Lobbyists are only required to report the names of recipients of tickets to events, tangible gifts valued at $10 or more, or food and beverage purchases greater than $50.
To be fair, our lawmakers are not panhandlers. The lobbyists, who are paid to persuade, come to them.
Nor can you call it payola. Officially - wink, wink - the gifts come with no strings attached.
But make no mistake, the lobbyists are buying. They're buying access, face time, phone time. And our legislators are selling.
Folks, if you want your government back - if you want your lawmakers to do your bidding instead of catering to the companies and organizations that hire lobbyists - you'd better start lobbying for a law that makes it illegal for legislators to accept gifts of any kind.
Call your legislators. Tell them to buy their own lunch, and pay for their own rounds of golf. Tell them to call the box office like the rest of us if they want to go to a Jazz game or a rock concert. Tell them that the office they hold entitles them to represent you in the Legislature, and nothing more.
