LANSING – In a move that will strengthen ethics and increase transparency, State Representative Mike Simpson (D-Jackson) today voted for a plan that will allow the public to see who is contributing to the legal defense of an elected official.
"Special interests have too much influence in Lansing, and changing that is one of my top priorities," said Simpson. "The public has a right to know about any financial contributions an elected official receives, and how that official uses them. Passing this plan is another step toward returning the Legislature to the people, where it belongs."
The plan passed by the House today will establish financial disclosure and reporting requirements for legal defense funds created to defend a Michigan elected official against criminal, civil or administrative actions, similar to those used in campaign finance reporting. The plan prohibits a person from making an anonymous contribution to a legal defense fund and requires legal defense funds to submit regular financial reports to the Bureau of Elections. These reports must be made available to the public and must include each contributor's full name and address, the total cumulative amount given to the fund, and a verification statement signed by the fund's treasurer.
The plan will also prohibit a lobbyist from contributing anything of value to aid the defense of an official in the legislative or executive branch against a legal action not directly related to his or her governmental duties.
"Lawmakers should always be held to the highest ethical standards, and that's exactly what this plan does," Simpson said. "By ensuring that our government is open and transparent, we can reduce the special interests' influence on the Legislature and concentrate on what's important – creating good-paying jobs and getting our economy back on track."