Jennifer McCormick, the Democratic nominee for governor, speaks at the Indiana Democratic Convention on July 13, 2024. McCormick released an ethics plan Thursday, with a focus on regulating lobbying and increasing government transparency. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Democrat gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick and her running mate Terry Goodin released a “commonsense” ethics plan Thursday, with a focus on increasing transparency, regulating lobbying and accountability for elected officials at the state and local level.
“Hoosiers deserve a transparent, ethical government above reproach,” McCormick said in a release. “Our commonsense plan addresses erosion in public access and transparency, better regulates special interests’ influence of government, locks the legislator to lobbyist revolving door in the Statehouse, and provides a reporting mechanism for sexual harassment.”
Other aspects of the plan include removing lobbyists from political positions as well as standardizing campaign finance reporting and annually filed statements of economic interest.
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Under the plan, paid lobbyists will face increased regulation that prohibits them from gifting “anything” of value to someone in the legislature, including cups of coffee. The proposal would create criminal penalties for both lobbyists and “legislative persons” to enforce the ban.
Current law allows gifts but they must be reported.
“It’s common sense that legislators shouldn’t be getting free suite tickets and steak dinners from lobbyists; that’s not advocacy, that’s entertainment,” said McCormick.
Last year, Seymour gun manufacturer Fostech Inc. offered Republican legislators a limited edition, customized AR-15-style rifle for half off. No legislators took the company up on the offer and and Fostech was fined for not registering as a lobbyist.
According to a 2023 investigation from State Affairs Indiana, lobbyists spent roughly $1 million entertaining lawmakers last year, including Pacers tickets and dinner cruises.
Additional regulations would bar registered lobbyists from holding positions on political committees. Currently, state party chairs are banned from being registered lobbyists and public office holders cannot become lobbyists until one year after leaving the General Assembly. McCormick would extend the prohibition up to three years.
More plan details
The Democrat also calls for a move to “restore the legal bias” toward public disclosure. Lawmakers weakened the role of the Public Access Counselor tasked with making these rulings in the last session. State lawmakers, who are currently exempt from public disclosure, would also be bound to following Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act.
Indiana’s campaign finance reporting would face additional scrutiny, centralizing all reports with the state’s election division rather than its 92 county election boards and standardizing quarterly reporting requirements in both election and non-election years.
McCormick would also require statement of economic interest forms be filed with the state election commission. The Indiana Capital Chronicle reviewed all 150 forms in 2023, finding inconsistencies and opportunities to obscure the financial ties of legislators. No action was taken following the investigation.
“It’s common sense to standardize our campaign finance reporting and statements of economic interests for candidates and office holders at the state and local level,” said McCormick regarding the campaign finance changes. “Combining Indiana’s ninety-three campaign finance reporting agencies into the bipartisan State Election Division makes sense.”
Lastly, the ethics plan proposes establishing a confidential sexual harassment reporting process with the state’s inspector general that would include locally elected and appointed officials as well as lobbyists. Following an investigation, the state office would inform the state ethics committee of findings and refer to a prosecutor “if criminal actions are warranted.”
Findings related to elected officials who are alleged to be harassers would be public. This comes on the heels of a sexual harassment scandal in the office of Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, whose former top aide Thomas Cook is accused of harassing at least three women.
Nearly a month ago, McCormick condemned Cook and Hogsett’s actions in a campaign press release.
“The allegations of Thomas Cook’s pattern of sexual harassment are deeply troubling, and I unequivocally condemn his actions,” said McCormick in the release. “Mayor Hogsett’s apparent failure to address these issues appropriately highlights a systemic problem that demands a systematic solution. The women involved were let down by both individuals and the system, and their pain must be acknowledged. Both parties have issues of sexual misconduct that demonstrate the importance of transparency and accountability in leadership. We owe it to those affected and to all Hoosiers to create a safer and more accountable environment.”
The proposals would need buy-in from state legislators, many of whom benefit from the status quo and may unwilling to adopt McCormick’s ethics plan. Additionally, as a Democrat, McCormick would face an uphill battle advancing her agenda through the Republican-controlled bodies.
This story will be updated.
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