The Plain Dealer agrees with us: It's time to take responsible steps to end pay to play since the people who should do it won't becuase they are making way too much money milking the corrupt system.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
How many times $1,000?
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Because of the immense amount of unbid "special counsel" work that the Ohio at torney general's office ladles out, law firms find it in their self-interest to cozy up to whoever happens to occupy the office.
In competitive and politically charged environments, few things say, "We really like you - and want a slice of special counsel work," better than a campaign donation.
A succession of attorneys general (and secretaries of state) has long insisted there is no correlation between checks taken in and legal work parceled out. We're not so sure.
There is, however, an easy way to allay any such suspicions - a minor change in campaign finance that would go a long way toward clearing up the matter once and for all.
Currently, Ohio election law places a $1,000 cap on the contributions that an individual in a law firm can donate within a 24-month period and still remain eligible for unbid state work. Attorney General Jim Petro's reading of the law is literal. He believes the caps were designed for individuals - not entire firms.
Therefore, if 30 lawyers in the same firm want to give him $1,000 each, for a total of $30,000, that firm remains eligible for unbid work.
But other strict constructionists contest that interpretation. They say the intent of the law was to limit any entity that receives unbid state work from giving more than &36;1,000 over the course of two years.
The Ohio Elections Commission says it is considering issuing an advisory opinion - a measure that could shed some useful light. Just as useful, however, would be a legislative rewrite of the law to make it clear that firms that receive unbid work are tightly restricted on what they, or the sum of their employees, can give.
A $1,000 limit per firm seems appropriate.
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