WASHINGTON 鈥� With ethics issues looming over lawmakers in Richmond as former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell appeals his corruption convictions, current Gov. Terry McAuliffe is reviewing proposals to place tighter limits on gifts and to restrict the use of campaign funds.
McAuliffe formed a commission by 聽to find ways to resolve issues exposed by the and to boost trust in government. This week, the group sent McAuliffe its聽.
鈥淭he idea of taking [lawmakers鈥橾 office space, combining that with their personal salary, because what happens [is] a lot of members use their office space and are able to put that money in their own pocket. Just for full transparency 鈥� and it鈥檚 fine, I mean it鈥檚 legal to do that 鈥� I think we ought to know what we鈥檙e paying our elected officials,鈥� McAuliffe said.
He would not specify which bills he would introduce on the , but said they would be 鈥渄ealing with all the issues.鈥�
The commission鈥檚 recommendations include new limits to keep campaign accounts from being used as personal slush funds, new oversight for gifts or loans to public officials and their immediate families from so-called 鈥減ersonal friends,鈥� and an expansion of the $100 cap on gifts passed in 2015 to include gifts from people other than lobbyists and principals of lobbying firms.
McAuliffe says the $100 total cap on gifts from lobbyists was the most important thing done on the ethics front in last year鈥檚 bill. It only applies to gifts worth $50 or more.
He said he doesn鈥檛 think there will be any campaign finance reforms this year.
Virginia allows unlimited donations to state political campaigns that can be used for virtually any purpose.
The commission鈥檚 recommendations also include providing state funding for the transition to a new governor, which is the point at which prosecutors argued Maureen McDonnell was first offered a fancy dress by Jonnie Williams, the man who eventually got immunity to testify that he had paid for the prestige of the governor鈥檚 office.
Until the McDonnells were charged with corruption, the state permitted unlimited gifts to public officials as long as they were reported. There was, and remains, an exception to gift and reporting rules for 鈥減ersonal friends.鈥�
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to discuss McDonnell鈥檚 case on Jan. 8. Typically, a decision on whether to the court will hear a case would be announced the following Monday. If the court does decide to hear the appeal, a decision on whether McDonnell will go to prison or get a new trial could be announced by June.
The commission鈥檚 full report is available .
