Before sending copies of First in Freedom to legislators and other elected officials, we called the State Ethics Commission to double check that we were in compliance with the gift rules. (hey, that’s how we roll here – sticklers for the rules – so we always double check) We were advised that the book fell under the “informational materials exception to the Ethics Act’s gift ban, G.S. 138A-32(e)(2) and it was okay to provide the book to elected officials. We included the language granting the okay on the cover letter with the book.
So today I get a very nice letter from State Treasurer Janet Cowell’s office thanking me for the book and explaining that they can’t accept my “gift” of First and Freedom and are donating it in my name to the Department of State Treasurer’s library.Here’s yet another example of confusion surrounding the ethics and lobbying laws. Eliminating the gift ban altogether may not be the answer. But surely a close look at the practicality and ease of compliance is in order.