Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Ron Ramsey, the chairman of the state Senate Ethics Committee, recently expressed doubt about a bumpercrop of ethics complaints filed against legislators in the wake of the Tennessee Waltz scandal. He’s questioned the need for the special ethics-session proposed by Governor Phil Bredesen and poo-pooed an independent commission to monitor and enforce campaign finance and lobbying laws. “[In the fight against corruption] I’m finding that, in theory, we may have all the teeth we need,” Ramsey told the media.
The theoretical choppers may be hanging out on the nightstand in a glass full of Efferdent, but apparently, there are plenty of them. The chairman continued, saying, ““I think the talk about an independent commission is all well and good. At the same time, I think the buck needs to stop with elected officials,” which is, of course, the whole problem. — Chris Davis
