Hogs at the trough

That's the title of a column by Richard Mays in today's Heber Springs Sun Times. An excerpt:

The Legislature should enact legislation prohibiting any public official from receiving any gifts of any value from anybody who is a registered lobbyist or who is attempting to influence legislation or other government action. This would result in better, more balance legislation for the people of Arkansas.

I agree that the legislature needs to show that it is capable and willing to police itself. I supported a complete disclosure bill that passed the House in 2007. It also incorporated some further campaign contribution restrictions, which I think caused its demise. Full disclosure is more realistic than a complete prohibition, but is full disclosure sufficient? I guess the concept is that if people can find out about every meal that is purchased, legislators are less likely to engage in activity that would be perceived as corrupt.