The romantic in me says yes.

The ethics law bars lobbyists from giving gifts to lawmakers or their aides. What happens, then, if a lobbyist wants to give a staffer a very special gift -- an engagement ring? Is that allowed?

No, it's not, Nirenberg says. But that's not the end of the story. A senator can grant a waiver of the gift ban, subject to review by the ethics committee. In the House, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct can waive the rule, and does so routinely.

"So, if you want to give your girlfriend who works in the Senate an engagement ring, you are going to have to ask permission from not only her father, but also from her senator, and maybe from the ethics committee, too," Nirenberg says.

Given the cycle of staffers from Legislative branch to Executive branch to lobbying firms and back again, these relationships are inevitable. Banning them is neither practical nor desirable. Hopefully they can get a technical fix made to the legislation in the name of allowing human beings to be human beings.

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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