| ► Houston Chronicle – 02/10/11 - Watchdog laughs off bill to limit ethics complaints |
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Houston Chronicle – 02/10/11 - Watchdog laughs off bill to limit ethics complaints  Watchdog laughs off bill to limit ethics complaints
Posted on 02/10/2011 by Gary Scharrer
Rep. Ken Legler, R-Pasadena, has filed legislation that would restrict sworn complaints with the Texas Ethics Commission.
Legler’s bill (HB 1036) would require that anyone filing an ethics complaint be a resident of Texas or own property in the state. According to the bill, “At any stage of a proceeding, the commission shall dismiss the complaint if the commission determines that the complaint was filed at the direction or urging of a person who:
(1) is not a resident of this state; or
(2) does not own real property in this state.
Dave Palmer, a disabled Army veteran based in Folsom, spends much of his time examining campaign finance records of elected officials – including those in Texas.
His complaint against Legler and a couple dozen other lawmakers last fall involved their practice of using campaign money to pay for lodging and related living expenses in Austin. Texas taxpayers provide lawmakers with a per diem of $168 per day to cover their temporary living expenses in Austin.
Palmer also filed a complaint with the IRS. He alleges that lawmakers must report the per diem pay as income if they use campaign money to cover temporary living expenses. The IRS notified Palmer they would open an investigation. There is no indication of the outcome.
Palmer says Legler’s legislation is merely an attempt to silence watchdogs such has himself.
“Arguing that a complainant must be a Texas resident doesn’t pass the involuntary laugh test,” Palmer said.
Palmer didn’t waste time ridiculing the legislation on his web site and giving Legler a “Dumbo” award.
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