As the Arizona state legislature is back in session, I can only cringe, awaiting the latest depredations of our elected representatives. State Rep. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, has been trying to undo a law that prevents legislators from taking up paid lobbying for one year after leaving office. This time around, he might get his way.
PHOENIX - A state House committee Tuesday narrowly endorsed scrapping a state law the prevents legislators from serving as paid lobbyists at the Capitol for a year after leaving office.
The House Committee on Government voted 5-4 to advance HB 2022.
While Jack Harper complains that he lacks the 'economic liberties' of his staff members to jump straight into the lobbying business, the opposition reasonably suggested extending the prohibition to staffers if that's his problem.
Harper claims he's been trying to get this passed for years, and that it has nothing to do with the fact that he's not running for his legislative seat again this year. He's also sponsoring another piece of legislation, however, to raise the salaries of a few higher-up jobs in the state government including secretary of state, a job he has previously expressed interest in.
Keeping your options open, eh?
Going against the entire premise of a citizen legislature, Harper seems to have the idea that he and his pals should be entitled to political careers, and that annoying laws like this shouldn't get in their way. Considering what Republicans in this country have done to demolish the economic security of even having a career for many working folks, I can't say I feel real bad for Jack Harper.
“I’ve seen people who have gone into the poor house serving as a state legislator,” he said. “To restrict what they can do when they leave, it doesn’t make sense.”
It's a pity that the salaries of state legislators like Harper go up at the whim of the people, who routinely shoot down propositions to increase them. Although I am not fond of our legislature I tend to vote in favor of these, if only to encourage some smarter folks than our current crop of Republicans to run for office. You get what you pay for, and we don't pay much -- although $24k doesn't sound bad to me right now.
It'd be nice to see Harper's legislation fail some more, but given the Republican domination of the state legislature, they can do it if they want it. And the real damage is easy to sum up.
Diane Brown, executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group, said the change wouldn't serve the public good.
"By removing the ability for a cooling-off period between legislator and lobbyist, it provides access and influence to other legislators that ordinary citizens do not enjoy," Brown said in an interview.