Ethics reform needed

The Kansas City Star: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon stood alongside lawmakers from both political parties last week and called upon the General Assembly to reform the state’s ethics laws, which the governor correctly described as among the weakest in the nation.

The focus on cleaning up Missouri’s shameless political culture is exactly right. And a show of bipartisanship is usually a good sign.

But not all ethics reform is created equal. Nixon and the public must be wary of watered-down bills that do little to slow the excessive influence peddling that campaign contributors and lobbyists direct toward lawmakers.

It takes years for the legislature to work up the energy to challenge a status quo that greatly benefits incumbents. To pass a weak law just for the sake of “doing something” would actually make it harder to gain substantial reform.

Meaningful ethics reform in Missouri must include caps on campaign contributions. Democracy is poorly served when a few wealthy donors can routinely pump six-figure checks into the coffers of public officials.