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Tuesday, June 3, 2008

From RedState: Jenkins Violates Spirit of Election Law

How on Earth we missed this, we cannot say, but here is a broadside against Lynn Jenkins from a conservative blogger over at RedState:

There is a particular tenet in Kansas election law that has, in the past, caught up a number of state elected officials: It's against state law to solicit or accept contributions from registered state lobbyists during the legislative session.

In the 2006 election cycle the law caught three people running statewide- two Republicans and one Democrat. That Democrat, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, recently did it again- though all three said it was an error, and I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Now, it appears yet another statewide elected official in Kansas is rubbing dangerously close to breaking the same law- except she knows exactly what she's doing.

Since announcing her candidacy for Congress, Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins has accepted 17 contributions from 14 registered state lobbyists, with 7 of those donations coming while the state legislature was in session.

How is it, then, that Jenkins isn't violating the same law Sebelius is being raked over the coals for breaking?

It's a game a CPA like Jenkins is particularly good at playing, because it all has to do with where the money gets funneled. If even a single cent of those donations had ended up in her state-level account, Jenkins would be a cooked goose, but since they shoved the contributions over to her federal campaign, she's clean.

Is this why we need an accountant in Congress? Just to make sure we have someone who knows the loopholes inside and out?

So, no, Jenkins isn't breaking the law, but she's violating its spirit. The people of Kansas, through their elected officials, decided long ago it was wrong for sitting state elected officials to take money from state lobbyists, and made it illegal for officials to solicit or receive such funds. It's even illegal for the lobbyists themselves to even try to give state candidates contributions while the legislature is in session. It is all out of an effort to make sure our elected officials were working for us and not for the lobbyists who were lining their pockets.

Jenkins has cunningly squeaked passed the prohibition by funneling the money into a different account, but an important question has to be asked: As she's filling her coffers trying to get a new job representing us in Congress, who has she been working for at her current job as State Treasurer- the people of Kansas who elected her, or the lobbyists stuffing her pockets with cash?

(Research from Open Secrets and the Kansas Secretary of State)

Oh, Lynn!

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love even the republicans think this woman is a slimball...she's even more unethical than Ryun.

Anonymous said...

Whoever put out this information is completely wrong ..... I happen to be a lobbyist and checked with the state ethics commission on this exact issue.

A state official running for federal office is allowed to accept donations from lobbyists throughout the legislative session.

Contact the Secretary of State's Office if you need your verification.

Anonymous said...

i think that's exactly what the poster on RedState said- she's breaking no laws at all.

the thing is...she's only not breaking the law because the money is going to her federal campaign. she's still taking money from state lobbyists, she's still a statewide elected official...she just gets lucky because of what she's running for.

she's the queen of getting as close to breaking the rules as she can without actually breaking them.

Anonymous said...

That is bull ..... she is just following the law. The state law doesn't allow anyone running for a state office to accept donations from lobbyists during the session, not just the current legislators or statewide officials .... no one seeking those offices can accept donations either.

I bet if you look at campaign finance reports Nancy Boyda and Jim Ryun they accepted donations from Kansas lobbyists during the Kansas Legislative session. By Lynn Jenkins being able to accept these same donations the law evens the playing field.

Anonymous said...

Not that it matters, but "KansasConservative1" (the guy who posted this on red state) is the Jim Ryun campaign.

I'd expect nothing less from Jim.

Anonymous said...

i think kansasconservative1 is the tooth fairy

Anonymous said...

this is just like lynn's ambition- anything to get her to the next place, anything to get her to the next level...who cares how inappropriate she has to be to get it done.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans are fucked anyway- someone I know from KTKA in Topeka says they have a poll that shows Boyda at like 70% approval.

Anonymous said...

Just like the Ryun campaign providing inaccurate and slanted information.

Maybe they can answer if Jim has taken campaign contribution from lobbyist in Kansas during the Kansas legislative session.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans are fucked anyway- someone I know from KTKA in Topeka says they have a poll that shows Boyda at like 70% approval.
__________________________

Yeah and I have an anonymous source at WIBW that shows she has 35% approval rating

Anonymous said...

and i have an anonymous source that says the TV ad Jenkins did endorsing Ryun in 04 is back on TV

anyone care to comment on that?

Anonymous said...

ryun taking money from state lobbyists during session wouldn't matter- he's not a statewide elected official who is supported to be protecting our money.

jenkins is, and she can't be trusted.

Anonymous said...

Ryun will take money and sweetheart home deals from anybody .... even Jack Abramhoff

Anonymous said...

and jenkins will take campaign contributions and tv commercials from anyone- and then give them billion dollar state contracts.

like american century.

Anonymous said...

The law is the way it is say as to not provide an advantage to one candidate over another .... it should be like state law then no candidate can accept money from Kansas lobbyist while Kansas Legislature is in session

Anonymous said...

Maybe Jim Ryun can get a job in Washington like Jim Slattery did when he loses

Anonymous said...

is this way we need a CPA in congress? so they can find all the legal loopholes that let them break the law without actually breaking the law?

Anonymous said...

Yeah .... just like the moron on RedState site ... doesn't know their ass from their elbow when it comes to ethics

Anonymous said...

well, it's obvious jenkins didn't break the law- and no one is saying she did.

it's just VERY obvious the only reason she didn't break the law is because she's running for federal office.

it's sad really- a statewide elected official shouldn't take money from registered state lobbyists during the session...who knows how she sold out the state to get those contributions.

Anonymous said...

civics lesson folks, the Treasurer doesn't make policy, the legislators do. can't very well sell out the state. have to go through DOA, Purchasing, etc, etc. to get anything done. This blog is getting as ridiculus as all the others.

Anonymous said...

oh, just because you don't like the fact it's smacking around your poor lynn-y poo.

jenkins can, of course, make agreements and execute contracts- take the American Century contract, for instance...another example of jenkins using her position to give back to her supporters.

Anonymous said...

Yea for $250 she'll do whatever you want. Oh I forgot BB doesn't like girls.

Anonymous said...

Your little Nancy-poo can take money from Democratic Congress leadership PACs (Pelosi, Rangel, Hoyer, etc.)and then claims to be independent

Anonymous said...

from what i understand BB likes the girls just fine.

This blog is not affiliated in any way with the Kansas Democratic Party, the Democratic National Committee, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, the Office of Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, or the campaign to re-elected Congresswoman Nancy Boyda. All commentary herein not directly attributed must be considered the opinion of the authors of this blog and not of any other individual, including Congresswoman Nancy Boyda.