Boston Herald, May 13thChristmas comes earlyThe White House's annual financial disclosure of gifts revealed that Vice-President Dick Cheney received $6,345 in gifts, including a set of designer earrings and necklace valued at $1,475.Reuters, May 14thClueless in St James'sLast week we published a list that purported to show the IQs of states voting for George Bush and Al Gore in 2000.
Virginia law requires disclosure of gifts of more than $50 to elected officials, but not to family members.
Beyond the code, the justices must comply with laws applying to all federal officials that prohibit conflicts of interest and require disclosure of gifts.
Politicians in both the House of Representatives and the Senate could also tighten rules about disclosure and gift-giving.Another important question is the resolve of the Justice Department.
In Minnesota, the state's unique payment disclosure and gift limit law has led a growing number of academic and private medical centers to impose severe restrictions on industry marketing practices.
"Because the transactions between you and DCM were commercial transactions conducted on terms available to the general public without being apparently specifically designed to provide personal benefit to you, neither the gift limit nor the gift disclosure requirements of the Act will apply," Korchmaros concluded.
The story angle was that the tickets are not reported on the mayor's gift disclosure forms, and that if they're a gift of Staples Center he can't legally accept them (or any gift) because arena owner AEG lobbies the city.
A system like the old one, with limited disclosure of unlimited gifts from those special interests of whom Mr. Bloomberg disapproves?
It has been under pressure to name large benefactors in keeping with the spirit of a new law requiring disclosure of all gifts over $7,500.
The organization spawned a grass-roots nonpartisan movement that opposed the Vietnam War, pressed the causes of civil rights and voter participation, campaigned to make national and state governments more accountable, and strengthened laws to require open meetings and full disclosure of lobbyists' gifts and favors.
