Must be having pork for lunch

Pharmaceutical companies can’t pay to fly doctors in for educational meetings, but they can provide "scholarships" for local politician events, according to this article.

"What's also troubling to clean-government advocates is that most of the legislators' expenses are covered by scholarships from ALEC. The group paid 19 Wisconsin lawmakers more than $32,000 in 2003 to attend their meetings, according to economic interest statements legislators filed with the state Ethics Board. Wisconsin legislators will receive expense reimbursements of about $1,000 each for the Seattle conference, Ladwig said, adding that lawmakers will cover any costs above that amount."

A couple of other things they’re doing for the pols that they can’t do for the docs: "Off hours feature an awards banquet that includes a concert by the Commodores and a golf tournament."

But wait, the article goes on: "Under state ethics laws, legislators generally may not accept meals, lodging or transportation from lobbyists or organizations that employ them. If legislators can show that such gifts benefit the state as a whole rather than themselves personally, they can take them."

Oh, give me a break.

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