Thursday, January 28, 2010
In Case You Missed It: Luke Interviewed on "Talkin' Politics with Gary L Snyder"
5:52 PM | 
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Luke Messer for Congress
Luke was interviewed by Gary Snyder, author of Huntington Politics, on his weekly show "Talkin' Politics with Gary L Snyder". Luke's segment begins around the 15 minute mark. He and Gary discussed the 5th district congressional race and Luke's proposals for ethics reform.
Click here to listen!
Click here to listen!
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In Case You Missed It: "A good start, but we need more ethics reform"
Luke wrote an opinion editorial that was published this week in the Indianapolis Star. You can read it here and below. A good start, but we need more ethics reform
I applaud the Indiana General Assembly for ethics reform legislation moving through its chamber. The steps, such as requiring a one-year wait period for moving from a legislator to a lobbyist, are a move in the right direction for our state. These bills, however, ignore an elephant in the room. If Indiana is serious about reform, we should consider three further, common sense proposals:
• Banning legislators from being paid to represent clients before state agencies in policy matters and requiring greater financial disclosure of other business conduct by legislators.
• Banning legislators from being paid fundraisers.
• Closing a loophole that allows some legislators to raise funds during budget sessions.
I offer a unique perspective on this legislation. I served a little less than four years as a state legislator and a little less than three years as a paid lobbyist. Today, I serve in neither of those roles, but I know first-hand the challenges faced by those drafting this legislation.
It is a challenge for legislators to balance their day job with their part-time public service, which requires them to be away for legislative business seven out of every twenty-four months. It is particularly challenging if a legislator must change jobs while serving in the General Assembly. In 2005, I tried to change jobs and continue serving as a state legislator. Frankly, most interested employers posed some sort of potential conflict because they also conducted business before the State. To avoid the conflict, I decided not to seek another term.
Indiana is one of only twenty states that place no restrictions on the types of jobs state legislators can have. For example, at least eighteen states restrict legislators from representing clients before state agencies in policy matters. Indiana should change its laws to join those states. At a minimum, serving in the state legislature should mean you can't be paid by private clients to do policy work before the state.
Our state should also strengthen legislator financial disclosure requirements. Mirroring requirements in twenty-three other states, Indiana should require legislators to disclose the name, nature of representation and compensation for any client or employer paying a legislator more than $2000. Today, in most cases, an Indiana legislator is only required to disclose a client or employer if they pay the legislator “more than 1/3 of their non-legislative income.”
Legislators should be banned from being paid fundraisers. I applaud any legislator who volunteers their time to raise money for candidates, charities or other worthy causes. But, when a legislator gets paid to raise money, there is no way to know whether the contributions are made out of a desire to support the cause or made to gain influence with a state legislator.
Legislators should also close a loophole in the law that allows some of them to get around a ban on fundraising during the state’s multi-billion dollar budget session. Current law bans legislators from fundraising during budget sessions unless they are raising money for another office, like Prosecutor, Judge, Mayor or Congress.
Ironically, last week, the House passed a version of H.B. 1001 that would prohibit the Governor from all types of fundraising during the budget session, while maintaining the loophole for legislators. If it’s wrong for the Governor to fundraise during the budget session, it is wrong for legislators – no exceptions.
Luke Messer is a former state legislator, former lobbyist on state issues, and a former Executive Director of the Indiana Republican Party.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Luke Files as a Candidate!
MESSER FILES TO RUN IN 5TH DISTRICT REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
5th District Congressional Candidate Files Declaration of Candidacy Paperwork on First Filing Day
(Indianapolis, IN) – Republican Luke Messer today filed his paperwork to declare his candidacy for the 5th District Congressional Primary. U.S. Congressman Dan Burton, who has announced he is seeking a 15th term, currently holds the seat. The district includes all of Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Grant, Tipton, Hamilton, and Hancock counties, as well as parts of Howard, Marion, Shelby, and Johnson.
“The morning after one of the biggest upsets in American political history, I am excited to announce my run in this Congressional primary,” Messer stated. “From town hall meetings to tea parties to last night’s election, voters in this country are trying to send Washington a message. They are tired of leaders who don’t listen. They are tired of the wasteful spending that threatens the future of our country. And, they want bold new leaders who understand that government is not the answer to every problem.”
Messer, who began his campaign in April, has led the pack of potential challengers from the start, raising over $330,000 as of the October quarterly report and receiving the endorsements of over 600 key grassroots supporters and elected officials throughout the district. His campaign has reported more than 800 total contributors, including contributors from all 11 counties in the district. He is also running an active e-campaign, connecting to thousands of supporters each week through his Facebook pages, web page and email.
“The people of America spoke last night,” Messer exclaimed. “Against all odds, Scott Brown won, sending a clear message that Democrats need to stop the backroom deals on health care. But, Republicans need to learn from last night as well and send our own message of reform.” Messer continued. “The movement for new leaders is just starting. People are tired of business as usual in Washington and politicians who talk a good game, but don’t deliver. We want real leadership, a focus on jobs and the economy - and reform.”
At least five challengers and the incumbent Congressman have expressed an interest in the 5th District Congressional Race. “We’re ready to run no matter who is in,” Messer concluded.
About Luke Messer
Luke Messer, 40, is a lawyer in Shelbyville and served in the Indiana General Assembly from 2003-2006. As a Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Messer helped Governor Daniels craft the state’s first balanced budget in eight years that, without a tax increase, turned a $600 million deficit into a $300 million surplus in a single year. As a member of the House Education Committee, Messer’s work on high school dropout prevention was featured in Time magazine and on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Messer is also a former Executive Director of the Indiana Republican Party.
Messer is co-founder of a not-for-profit organization called Child Share Indiana that advocates for Indiana foster children and their foster families. He is also an elder at this church and the author a children’s book about Indiana entitled Hoosier Heart. Luke and his wife Jennifer are raising their two daughters and a son in Shelbyville. To learn more about the Messer campaign, log onto http://www.lukemesser.com/
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