|
By Amy Silva
Maryland Newsline staff
Friday, May 11, 2001
Question:
You are a Maryland senator
who sits on the Health and Human Services subcommittee of the Budget and
Taxation Committee. A Maryland medical lobbying group has offered to pay your
way to come speak at a weekend conference
it will be sponsoring. The group will
pay for your travel, hotel, food and entertainment at the conference.
While it won't be rolling out the red carpet for you, it will end up
spending quite a bit more than $500 for you to attend. You are to
speak about medical reform in the Maryland Legislature and are free to say
what you want. What do you do?
answer
a
Agree to go and speak at
the conference. The accommodations are reasonable, and you will be speaking
free of influence. Even though the group does have a financial interest in
legislation that would pass through the subcommittee you sit on, you will
stay impartial.
answer
b
Agree to go and speak at
the conference only after you have notified the Joint Ethics Committee.
Since the cost of the gift would exceed $500, you feel it is important to
clear this one with the ethics authorities. But since this is a business
conference and you do have to speak, you feel that it is reasonable that you
be allowed to accept the invitation.
answer
c
Decline the offer to go
and speak. Even though it will be a business trip, you
think that the control your subcommittee has over legislation affecting
this group is enough that some people might later criticize you for being
partial to them, even though you believe in your heart you
can remain impartial.
Copyright © 2001 University of Maryland College of
Journalism
Top of Page | Home Page
| 
