‘Revolving door’ rule backed

BOISE – Republican House Speaker Lawerence Denney said Tuesday he’ll co-sponsor a bill to make state legislators wait a year before working as legislative lobbyists after he was criticized for helping a prominent former lawmaker find work as a hired gun.

It’s likely too late this year for full hearings – the Legislature may adjourn Thursday – but GOP leaders said they’ll back the measure next year. Democrats support the plan.

The Associated Press reported last week that the lobbyist, ex-Rep. Julie Ellsworth, R-Boise, was hired at the recommendation of Denney, R-Midvale, after he said California developer Foursquare Properties Inc. should dump its existing lobbyist, Jerry Deckard. Deckard had supported Denney’s rival in the race for House speaker.

Denney conceded the circumstances of Foursquare’s hiring of Ellsworth, who was ousted in the Nov. 7 election, could arouse suspicion that Capitol relationships benefit some and punish others. As a result, new limits are in order to boost public confidence, he said.

“I’m still not sure it’s necessary, but in this business, perception is reality,” he said.

The House speaker’s support for lobbying limits pushes Idaho a step closer to joining at least 26 other states with “revolving door” rules forcing lawmakers to undergo a cooling-off period before returning to lobby their ex-colleagues in state capitols.

Of legislators who departed after the 2006 Legislature, only Ellsworth and former House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley, registered as lobbyists during the 2007 session. The bill backed by Denney wouldn’t limit former executive branch officials or their employees from lobbying.

If it doesn’t pass this year, Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, who’s also chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, where the bill was introduced Tuesday, said it will likely be resurrected next year with bipartisan backing.

“It’ll be right up there on the docket,” Wills told the AP. “I’m not going to say there has been anything done wrong. But we need to make sure we don’t have that perception. The bottom line is, we want to make sure ethically we are covering all the bases.”

Foursquare dumped Deckard and hired Ellsworth to push a bill sponsored by Denney to allow the company to be reimbursed from state sales taxes for the cost of building a freeway interchange at its shopping mall at Post Falls.

The company wants the interchange to lure Nebraska-based Cabela’s Inc. to put a store in the mall.

Deckard had backed Rep. Bill Deal, R-Nampa, in his unsuccessful race in December against Denney to be House speaker. After that, Denney said he indicated Foursquare’s bill would fare more favorably with House leadership if the company found a new lobbyist.

Deckard severed his ties to Foursquare on Feb. 12. Ellsworth registered as its lobbyist Feb. 20.

The bill died in committee last year.

After Ellsworth’s hiring, a new version cleared the House and Senate. It was signed by Gov. Butch Otter on Monday.

Ellsworth didn’t immediately return phone calls seeking comment on the lobbying limits backed by Denney.

At Tuesday’s Ways and Means hearing, co-sponsor and House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, said the idea to enact lobbying limits has been a topic of discussion at the Idaho Legislature at least since 2005.

Washington and Montana are among states with similar laws, with limits of up to two years.

Jaquet has said the appearance of political retribution in the Foursquare case heightens the need for changes.