Star-gate? The saga continues

At first I just thought it was an awkward situation getting a lot of attention…high roller Republicans buying in to a company to make healthy smoking.  Now I think it is a far more serious situation that involves influence peddling.

The Washingtonpost.com:

Williams offered the wedding gift at a time when Glen Allen, Va.-based Star Scientific, which makes a dietary supplement and facial cream under the brand name Anatabloc, was suing the state to challenge a property tax assessment.

The governor and his wife have been high-profile boosters for Star Scientific, which has lost money for 10 years and is the subject of a federal securities investigation and two shareholder lawsuits. Maureen McDonnell traveled to Florida to talk up Anatabloc to investors three days before the wedding, and she and the governor hosted a gathering at the mansion to mark the product’s arrival in stores.

Does the above paragraph send up red flags?  In Virginia, this behavior is not illegal but it sure is unethical to most of us.  McDonnell says the money was given to his daughter, even though he signed the contract and put down an $8,000 deposit which was later refunded to Mrs. McDonnell.    It all just sounds like weasel words at this point.

Bill Bolling sure thinks something is improprietous:

“The recent situation regarding gifts to the governor’s family has brought to light that a technical reading of the law does not include gifts to family members,” said Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R), a close ally of McDonnell’s. “My view is that they should be reported.”

Bolling said he has always included gifts to his family — whether they were NASCAR tickets for his sons or a piece of pottery presented to his wife — on his annual financial disclosure forms.

“When somebody gives a gift to my wife or a gift to my kids, chances are they’re given a gift because of me,” Bolling said.

Ya think?  Bill Bolling hit the nail on the head and wins the Captain Obvious award.  It’s influence peddling.

Virginia needs to forget its ‘social agenda’ [cough sputter choke] and start working on some serious ethics laws.  For people in a party who express dislike for big government, the McDonnells have certainly greased the situation and reaped the benefits.  From all appearances, the Cooch is following suit.

Star Scientific doesn’t sound financially sound to most of us.  The company has lost money for the past 10 years.  Why is Cooch heavily invested in it?  Why are the McDonnells pushing the company?  Why is Mrs. McDonnell using her position as the first lady of Virginia to stump out of state for Star Scientific?  The stump job happened 3 days before her daughter’s wedding and the McDonnells were given $15,000.  Something is rotten in the State of Virginia for sure.  If nothing else, McDonnell just used very poor judgement.

According to the washington Post (March 31, 2013)

To date, the Virginia legislature has declined to pass laws that restrict gift giving to government officials.  I guess they don’t want to cut off the goose that laid the golden egg.  As long as people can grease the palms of the politicians legally, they will do so.  Obviously that is what happened in this case.

The answer isn’t who else has accepted gifts and then given the gift-giver special consideration.  The answer is when the Virginia legislature is going to man up and create some serious ethics laws that all politicians have to live by.  Meanwhile, we should expect all of our elected officials to use good judgement and exercise ethical conduct.  I think most of us would have known not to accept that money for a reception, regardless of how tempting it was.

What obligations do our elected officials have as far as accepting gifts goes?  Can they do what they want if there are no laws preventing them from doing what they want?  Can we and should we expect ethical beahvior regardless of laws?  Is ‘ethical behavior’ one of those nebulous terms that just keeps moving around, depending on who is asking?