The gift that just keeps on giving

By Connie Kwong

Not even Olivia Pope’s impeccable problem-solving skills could save California state Sen. Leland Yee at this point. Although few would contest that Yee’s acts were grossly unethical and immoral, I’d like to ask one question: is news like this really that much of a surprise? If not Yee, then which politician would’ve been the next one to make headlines for being embroiled in a scandal related to financial corruption?

Up until Yee’s actions were discovered, he had been campaigning to become the next California secretary of state. The fact that Yee is accused of accepting bribes from groups like medical marijuana advocacy organizations and a San Francisco gang in the form of campaign donations shows that money has a knack for worming itself into legislation and elections. Sure, Yee has been arrested and suspended from his position as a congressman. But these necessary procedural actions don’t erase what he did, and they don’t constitute a viable solution for tackling the bigger problem of financial corruption in politics. Jay Wierenga, spokesman for the California Fair Political Practices Commission, recently told the San Francisco Chronicle that the money from Yee’s campaign donors is fair game for his personal use. Wierenga noted that California’s Political Reform Act is “relatively silent on whether you can transfer the money (from a campaign account).” In fact, the law reads, “A candidate for elective state office or an elected state officer may establish a separate account to defray attorney’s fees and other related legal costs incurred for the candidate’s or officer’s legal defense if the candidate or officer is subject to one or more civil or criminal proceedings or administrative proceedings arising directly out of the conduct of an election campaign, the electoral process, or the performance of the officer’s governmental activities and duties. These funds may be used only to defray those attorney fees and other related legal costs.” The fact that specific money is set aside to be used by the politician to fund his legal defense only adds insult to injury.

Evidently, Yee’s future in politics doesn’t seem bright. However, the degree to which he will actually be brought to full justice for his crimes doesn't sound promising either, because a strong defense funded by thousands of dollars in campaign donations just might be the key to dropped charges, reduced sentencing, and other easy-outs for Yee. The fact that Yee just joined the ever-growing list of politicians who have incriminated themselves in both the eyes of the public and the law by dealing in financial corruption tells us one thing: money in politics is the gift that just keeps on giving. Without effective legislation and oversight of campaign finance, it will only continue to contaminate the American political system that we ought to be able to trust.