| Money in politics
Re: "Kirk details pay by firm ?
Rejecting criticism, he says six-figure deal provides for family,"
Feb. 12.
The Dallas Morning News report on former Mayor Ron Kirk's salary at
Gardere & Wynne just confirms what many had long suspected. That he
was paid over $200,000 a year to do a token amount of work for the firm,
and in the process became what amounted to Dallas' first Rent-A-Mayor.
This cozy arrangement could have provided unprecedented access to City
Hall for all of Gardere & Wynne's corporate clients, including
American Airlines ? in exchange for Mr. Kirk's main source of income.
Having the mayor as a kept politician
on the payroll was Exhibit A for a mayoral salary, which was
subsequently adopted. As a contender for the Democratic nomination for
the Senate, it makes Mr. Kirk a poster boy for campaign finance reform.
James Northrup, Dallas
|
Editor's
Comments:
Once a politician gets elected -- even to the Dallas City Council, they
can accept unlimited amounts of contributions. Limits on
contributions kick in when the officeholder announces his candidacy for
re-election.
Why do you think so many Congressmen and Senators, et al wait until the
last minute to announce they are running again? It's because they
can keep raking in the dough until they are a candidate. Campaign
reform is really "incumbent protection".
A challenger can't raise money until he designates a Treasurer, but the
incumbent can raise millions into his officeholder account. The
challenger is limited as to how much a single donor can give, but the
incumbent has no such limitations until he announces for re-election.
So, the incumbent can accrue a couple of Mil as officeholder and
transfer the whole batch into his campaign account.
As for a salaried mayor, the council and mayor get to maintain outside
employment while drawing their council salary. Kirk gave his $60 K
to some charity and got the tax deduction. He did not have to --
he could have kept the $60 K and the $200 K from G/W.
From the get go, the City Atty should have found Kirk had a conflict of
interest relating to anything to do with the arena, particularly after
American Airlines bought naming rights. Our Cowardly City Atty
takes the position that if the council person says he has a conflict of
interest -- he does. If he says he has no conflict of interest --
he doesn't. It's a mess.
Campaign finance reform would have no effect on the kind of arrangement
Kirk had with G/W as an officeholder or even candidate. Any
candidate can be "employed" by any entity and that is not a
campaign contribution, so long as the money does not flow to the
campaign. Paying the family's rent and buying groceries are not
part of the campaign.
If you believe McCain, et al are concerned about campaign funding
problems rather than eliminating challengers, I know a designer bridge
that is about to go on the market. |
