http://newsok.com/article/3136646/1191113300

Sun September 30, 2007

Staff shortage may delay ethics investigations

By Michael McNutt
Capitol Bureau

Lack of adequate staffing at the Oklahoma Ethics Commission makes it a certainty that an investigation into Republican House fundraising tactics in 2004 will take weeks to complete.

The commission only has one attorney to interpret commission rules and state law and only one investigator to look into complaints.

Both have to work additional hours to look into ethics complaints, said Marilyn Hughes, the commission's executive director.

The commission has seven employees; a new position has not been added since 1991.

The agency takes care of candidate campaign reports, lobbyist reports, financial disclosure statements, political action committee reports and registrations.

Hughes, the commission's executive director the past 20 years, said requests for additional funding typically are turned down by legislators — the same people the commission scrutinizes.


Staff funding sought
Despite record state budgets each of the past three years, no additional money for staffing has been approved.
"We've been asking for increased staff for the last 15 years,” Hughes said.

The commission will ask legislators next year to add three staff members, including another lawyer and investigator.

Rep. David Dank, who last week said he will file an ethics bill next legislative session to tighten campaign financing, said the agency needs more money and more teeth.

"They need to be funded properly, and the ethics laws need to be strengthened,” said Dank, R-Oklahoma City. "They need to have more investigators on their staff. Right now all they can do is shuffle (campaign reporting) papers, keep up with the paperwork. They don't even have time to investigate anything.”


Permanent funding
It may be time to consider finding a permanent funding source for the agency and to take it out of the legislative process, Dank said.
He started working on his ethics ideas in late May, shortly after this year's session adjourned.

"It's ridiculous what we've done with the Ethics Commission,” he said. "I just think it's important that we have an Ethics Commission that's functional.”

Rules prohibit any Ethics Commission member or employee from talking about investigations, who files complaints or whether complaints have been filed.

Secrecy surrounding investigations is important, Hughes said.

Numerous complaints have been filed in the past two decades that had no foundation.

"We're dealing with politics, and in politics you can ruin someone with unfounded allegations,” she said. "You don't have any confidentiality — then the commission can be used as a political tool.”