Lawmakers are special, like snowflakes
No sooner had the federal government kicked over another hive of government corruption in Mississippi — involving bribery and kickbacks with crooked corrections contracts — than the call went up from state leaders for more “transparency” and “contract reform.”
State lawmakers talk a lot about transparency, and they use the word every chance they get to name some bill or another a “transparency act.” Why, if you didn’t pay attention to how they vote and what they pass and what rules they apply to themselves, you might think Mississippi’s legislative leaders are all about transparency, especially when it comes to how your tax dollars are spent.
But consider the actions Tuesday of the House Management Committee. It passed a policy making clear that all contracts for the Legislature are secret. Lawmakers themselves can look at them — because they’re special, like snowflakes — but they can’t copy them or show them to the public because … well … There is no good because.
Ironically — and perhaps spuriously — legislative leaders said the move had nothing to do with Mississippi Today requesting a copy of the Legislature’s contract with EdBuild to draft an overhaul of the state’s education equity funding formula. It was explained that this was actually a move to ensure “transparency” — to make clear that lawmakers, because they’re special, could look at the contract committee members entered into on behalf of them and taxpayers.
Read more: http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/11/19/pender-column/94078664/