Ever since the Office of State Ethics initiated an investigation of the Bridgeport Diocese, the issues of free speech, freedom of religion and lobbying have come to the forefront of the ethics debate in Connecticut. This summer the Attorney General directed the agency to provide more clarity in the statute and as a result, a subcommittee of the Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board has been working with their staff attorneys to develop language that will clarify the definition of lobbying and in particular, grassroots lobbying.
The subcommittee is in the beginning of this process. The Board has suggested that they seek input from the regulated community and other stakeholders, which is certainly merited and definitely wise. OSE staff attorneys are working with the IRS definition of grassroots lobbying as a guide and in particular are trying to specify what “soliciting others to communicate” means in statute while at the same time balancing the constitutional questions of freedom of speech and religious expression. Any proposal will need legislative approval during the session next year.
What do you think should be in the new law? Should there be a “carve out” for activities by a church? What about the question of equal protection?
I’ve been involved in taxations for longer then I care to acknowledge, both on the personal side (all my working life story!!) and from a legal standpoint since satisfying the bar and pursuing tax law. I’ve rendered a lot of advice and redressed a lot of wrongs, and I must say that what you’ve put up makes impeccable sense. Please persist in the good work - the more individuals know the better they’ll be armed to deal with the tax man, and that’s what it’s all about.