LANSING – In a move that will strengthen ethics and increase transparency, State Representative Mary Valentine (D-Norton Shores) today voted for a plan that will allow the public to see who is contributing to the legal defense of an elected official.
"Elected officials must be held to the highest ethical standards," Valentine said. "Reforming our Legislature and returning it to the people where it belongs is one of my top priorities. By increasing transparency, we can help restore residents' faith in government and get back to the business of creating good-paying jobs now and boosting our economy."
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.
"Too often it seems that Lansing is run by lobbyists and not the Legislature," Valentine said. "The public has every right to know who donates money to elected officials and how that money is used. Passing this plan puts our residents' best interests first and will help us get back to the task at hand – moving Michigan forward."