Tony McDonald, writing for the Texas Scorecard, rightly pointed out that Texas House Speaker Joe Straus new appointment to the Texas [un]Ethics Commission signals that we’ll get more of the same misuse of the agency to attack citizen involvement in politics while protecting politicians from scrutiny.
Wolens made it clear that his form of “ethics” was that of the insider: Make political involvement for the people tough while keeping actual elected officials under less scrutiny.
Straus appointed former state Rep. Steve Wolens to the agency. Wolens and his wife, former Dallas mayor Laura Miller, are activist Democrats. But the problem with Wolens on the so-called Ethics Commission is not his Democrat politics activism Wolens made it clear that his form of “ethics” was that of the insider: Make political involvement for the people tough while keeping actual elected officials under less scrutiny.but his record while serving as chairman of State Affairs in the House during the last Democrat majority. As chairman
Wolens, through his HB1606 years ago, handed powers to the Ethics Commission which let it shift to keeping most of its proceedings closed-door secret so as to not embarrass politicians and so that the press cannot see just how unethical the group itself acts. He also tried to create an annual fee common citizens would have to pay the agency if their political activity required report filing.
Wolens would have removed criminal penalties for legislators who author and vote for bills that benefit their personal businesses.
McDonald reminded us that “Despite increasing the TEC’s power over citizens, Wolens’ bill would have actually eased restrictions on legislators. Wolens would have removed criminal penalties for legislators who author and vote for bills that benefit their personal businesses.”
Other legislators fearing backlash stripped that part but Wolens had it in his bill and so we can clearly see what his version of “ethics” is. Appointing him to the agency shows just how ethically challenged Speaker Joe Straus is too.
TEC appointment shows Speaker Straus’ version of ethics
Robert Pratt
Tony McDonald, writing for the Texas Scorecard, rightly pointed out that Texas House Speaker Joe Straus new appointment to the Texas [un]Ethics Commission signals that we’ll get more of the same misuse of the agency to attack citizen involvement in politics while protecting politicians from scrutiny.
Wolens made it clear that his form of “ethics” was that of the insider: Make political involvement for the people tough while keeping actual elected officials under less scrutiny.
Straus appointed former state Rep. Steve Wolens to the agency. Wolens and his wife, former Dallas mayor Laura Miller, are activist Democrats. But the problem with Wolens on the so-called Ethics Commission is not his Democrat politics activism Wolens made it clear that his form of “ethics” was that of the insider: Make political involvement for the people tough while keeping actual elected officials under less scrutiny.but his record while serving as chairman of State Affairs in the House during the last Democrat majority. As chairman
Wolens, through his HB1606 years ago, handed powers to the Ethics Commission which let it shift to keeping most of its proceedings closed-door secret so as to not embarrass politicians and so that the press cannot see just how unethical the group itself acts. He also tried to create an annual fee common citizens would have to pay the agency if their political activity required report filing.
Wolens would have removed criminal penalties for legislators who author and vote for bills that benefit their personal businesses.
McDonald reminded us that “Despite increasing the TEC’s power over citizens, Wolens’ bill would have actually eased restrictions on legislators. Wolens would have removed criminal penalties for legislators who author and vote for bills that benefit their personal businesses.”
Other legislators fearing backlash stripped that part but Wolens had it in his bill and so we can clearly see what his version of “ethics” is. Appointing him to the agency shows just how ethically challenged Speaker Joe Straus is too.