1999-2000 Report
Special Report
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2000 — At a time when the nation's 50 state legislatures wield unprecedented power, the lawmakers who run them have significant private financial interests in the laws they impose on millions of Americans. A two-year investigation by the Center for Public Integrity found startling conflicts of interest and other flaws in the system of state government, affecting policy decisions on everything from education to nuclear waste, taxes to health care. >>
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2000 — The Center for Public Integrity analyzed financial disclosure forms filed by state lawmakers in 1999. Because information filed in 1999 was for the calendar year 1998, we focused on the 5716 state lawmakers who were in office in 1998 for our examination of their and/or their family's outside interests and activities. >>
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2000 — State representatives and senators are elected to carry out the will of the public. But all across the country, lawmakers time and again are looking out for their own interests. Here are some examples of the most common ways this is achieved. >>
WASHINGTON, February 15, 1999 — Center researchers methodically evaluated financial-disclosure laws that apply to members of the legislatures in all 50 states, and ranked the states on basic disclosure components and access to public records. The report showed that nearly half of the states' disclosure systems fail to provide the public with basic information on state lawmakers’ private interests. >>