Minn. Lawmaker Disclosure Leaves Plenty In Dark
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A quarter of the Minnesota Legislature has submitted economic disclosure statements that offer the public few or no details about the source of their outside income.
The forms are intended to offer hints of potential conflicts of interest when legislators craft or vote on bills. All 201 legislators and key officials in the executive branch are required to periodically update their forms.
Minnesota Public Radio News analyzed the forms for a story Monday. It identified lawmakers who call themselves consultants but refuse to say who pays them. Same goes for attorneys who won't divulge client lists, arguing their professional codes of conduct bar it.
Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board executive director Gary Goldsmith says the only way to get more details is to change the law. Some lawmakers say they'll push for that in the session that begins Tuesday.
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