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Blakeslee resurrects bill limiting gifts from lobbyists

June 30, 2011

State Sen. Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo, is resurrecting a version of a bill that was killed earlier this year limiting gifts legislators can receive from lobbyists. [TheCalifornian.com]

He is co-authoring the bipartisan SB 50 with Sen. Lou Correa, a Democrat from Santa Ana, who is the chair of the Senate Committee on Elections, where he supported a similar bill from Blakeslee in May.

The bill is designed expand the Political Reform Act to ban specific, inappropriate gifts to an elected state official or member of his or her immediate family, according to a statement from Blakeslee’s office.

SB 50 will include a new provision allowing lawmakers to accept tickets to community events and nonprofit organization fundraisers whose tickets are priced under $25.

“Senator Correa and I are serious about reforming the culture of Sacramento,” Blakeslee said. “It’s time to change business as usual.”

Correa and Blakeslee have tapped into growing voter frustration over what is perceived as undue influence lobbyists have over elected officials.

“Enough is enough,” Correa said. “The public is fed up with their legislators getting free tickets, vacations or rounds of golf.”

Specifically, the bill will prohibit elected state officials and their immediate family members from accepting specific gifts of influence and access from lobbyists, lobbying firms and lobbyist employers. The bill also prohibits lobbyists or lobbyists’ employers from making such gifts.

Tickets to theme parks, professional or amateur sporting events that exceed $25 each, admission to theater shows, concerts, gift cards, spa treatments or other recreational outings like golf, hunting, fishing or skiing trips are included in the list of disallowed items.

This is the fourth attempt that Blakeslee has undertaken to limit lobbyists and lobbyist employers from giving gifts that allow unfair access to an elected official.

The previous bills have all been killed in legislative committees amid protests by lawmakers or behind closed doors at the behest of legislative leadership.


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And now we find that Sam Blakeslee apparently PAYS to have have advertisements run on Andy Caldwell’s radio show. Does this mean Blakeslee is PAYING a lobbyist? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around! What the heck is going on around here?


Whatever the facts are, the PERCEPTION could be that Sam Blakeslee is PAYING lobbyist Andy Caldwell to attack Adam Hill. And there would be a fair amount of political motivation to do just that.


Bottom line, there needs to be much more scrutiny on anyone having any financial dealings with lobbyists Andy Caldwell and Mike Brown.


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Wiseguy

If your really serious about it, why don’t you ask Blakeslee.

Quite frankly I would not blame him or his staff if they made your speculations the first exception to ignore.


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I AM asking Blakeslee. He can respond here just like anyone else.


And for the record, I don’t think Blakeslee could be half the weasel Andy Caldwell is. But there certainly is a huge contradiction between what Blakeslee is touting to the public regarding lobbyists and who close he seems to be courting one of the worst lobbyists I know of.


But, to be fair, Caldwell may have bamboozled Blakeslee the way he has others in the past. Caldwell loves the publicity, good or bad, and he’s certainly generated both with these latest stunts regarding Blakeslee and that comedian.


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It is okay to examine the other side or flip side of the coin

Maybe one is more or less better than the other or maybe they’re all no good

Before you attempt to call someone on the carpet, can you be a little more constructive.

At times your post are intelligent, there times you sound like your either on or off something.

I try to confine posting before I take meds or do it in the morning off meds to not mess up community input or exchange.


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I think that Sam Blakeslee is trying to do the best job he can for SLO County. He’s a good person, intelligent, and sensitive to his constituents needs. I’m sure that he did not want to get dragged into the Adam Hill fiasco. So, Wiseguy, just leave him alone.


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I think it is commendable that Sam cancelled the fundraiser and is apparently, or at least publicly, distancing himself from Andy Caldwell. What Sam does next will tell us a lot.


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So why is Sam Blakeslee considering having an extreme right wing business LOBBYIST of controversial character be the master of ceremonies for one of his fund raisiers?


Isn’t this a HUGE contradiction from Sam? And of all the extreme right wing business LOBBYISTS, why would Mr. Blakeslee want to closely associate himself with Andy Caldwell who, in pursuit of publicity has thrown himself headlong into the biggest political racism/bigotry controversies this area has experienced since the days of Sheriff Ed Williams.


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Wiseguy

Are these multiple choice questions?


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Wiseguy

Or are they True and False questions?


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I am inspired by the critical and independent thinkers here.


But less complicated or more simplistic than this is from an old proverb:

You can tell the child from his work(s)

Thus I see the child Blakeslee dilligently, persistently working on things that are meaningful.


Your all aware that you can contact Blakeslee or his staff and let him know your concerns, he will not discount, ignore or call the Sheriff for extra security on you.


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This is very ironic considering that Mr. Blakeslee just made news because for seeking to have lobbyist Andy Caldwell host or M.C. a fundraiser. Was Mr. Blakeslee intending to pay Caldwell for his services as M.C. or was Caldwell intending to DONATE his time and efforts?


How ironic that Blakeslee sees publicity right now for his efforts to “control” lobbyist influence, at the exact same time he has wrapped himself tight with one of the most pushy, aggressive and extreme right wing lobbyist to ever ply his questionable trade in this county.


Something doesn’t smell right.


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Does Caldwell pimp himselve out, does he charge people to see him?


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It’s hard to know what he might wish to charge. But one thing is for sure, a self-aggrandizing business lobbyist like Andy Caldwell would never do anything like this unless he was expecting to personally benefit somehow.


It’s called politics. Some people are in it to help others, some simply wish to help themselves. It’s pretty clear where lobbyist Andy Caldwell stands. The question remains as to where Sam Blakeslee draws the line.


But the bottom line is that Andy Caldwell has the funding to publicize himself. Does Blakeslee really need to give him MORE free publicity? For what purpose?


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Actually it’s worse than that, Blakeslee allowed himself to get pushed around by “Napoleon” Hill and his leftest thugs claiming racism where it doesn’t exist.


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Sam, Sam, Sam: How dare you sound like some sort of moderate! Being responsive to your constituents, not your corporate donors? IF YOU TRULY WANT TO EARN THE REPUTATION OF MODERATE, STOP VOTING IN LOCKSTEP WITH EVERY OTHER REPUBLICAN AGAINST ANY MEASURE THAT EXTENDS OR POSSIBLY RAISES TAXES. I do respect Sam Blakeslee as a person having met him inside my little business I had in downtown SLO and even providing him with a service my business offered. He listened to me with respect, recognized me as the caller on the Dave Congalton Show as “Bob from San Luis” and still was genuinely nice to me in person. If he could step out of the yoke that the Republican leadership installs on the neck of every single Republican office holder concerning opposing any and all measures that COULD result in a tax hike or extension, I feel that Senator Blakeslee would realize the reputation of someone willing to reach out across the aisle and get things done in Sacramento. And yes, I did read the article and I do realize that he does have a Democratic Senator as a co-sponsor for this proposal; why can’t he be more accommodating on working on the state budget?


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Yes, he won’t last long at this rate. Moderation and thinking is not a good for a republican these days.


It’s refreshing to see that there are some smart repubs and that they’re not all crazy Tea Baggers, good job Sam.


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Keep persistent Mr. Blakeslee

Your a good human being.


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