Sen. Brown operates ethically, unfairly judged
Nicolai, Andrew
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Letters
Too bad the writer of last week's letter (senior Luis Salas) attacking State Sen. Ron Brown didn't do any basic research on the issue he claimed to address, and then resorted to lies to smear a public official.
If he'd done any research on the public policy, he'd know that the bill in question is a bipartisan effort, sponsored in the Assembly by Madison Democrat Spencer Black.
Brown's bill is supported by the State Ethics Board. It was introduced after Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's appointee at the Department of Transportation held a Doyle fundraiser by hitting up people hoping to win profitable state contracts from the Department.
That raised lots of questions and made it seem like you had to contribute to Gov. Doyle in order to get a state contract from the Department of Transportation.
People complained, and the State Ethics Board investigated. Brown's bill is written to make sure that state officials don't pressure those they regulate into making political contributions. I hope he's successful in cleaning up the Doyle administration's mess.
Ron Brown has done a great job representing us, and he serves his district well. Trying to paint him as corrupt when he has made the initiative to make ethical reforms is baseless and misguided.
It's sad that some nameless, faceless partisan hacks didn't have more respect for the author of last week's letter than to send him out the door with a pack of lies and tell him "Here, go say this about Brown."
Andrew Nicolai
Freshman
If he'd done any research on the public policy, he'd know that the bill in question is a bipartisan effort, sponsored in the Assembly by Madison Democrat Spencer Black.
Brown's bill is supported by the State Ethics Board. It was introduced after Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's appointee at the Department of Transportation held a Doyle fundraiser by hitting up people hoping to win profitable state contracts from the Department.
That raised lots of questions and made it seem like you had to contribute to Gov. Doyle in order to get a state contract from the Department of Transportation.
People complained, and the State Ethics Board investigated. Brown's bill is written to make sure that state officials don't pressure those they regulate into making political contributions. I hope he's successful in cleaning up the Doyle administration's mess.
Ron Brown has done a great job representing us, and he serves his district well. Trying to paint him as corrupt when he has made the initiative to make ethical reforms is baseless and misguided.
It's sad that some nameless, faceless partisan hacks didn't have more respect for the author of last week's letter than to send him out the door with a pack of lies and tell him "Here, go say this about Brown."
Andrew Nicolai
Freshman