5/21/2008

TOPEKA — An e-mail sent Tuesday with a fundraising pitch for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ campaign committee may be the first test of an ethics loophole created last year.

Several thousand people, including special interests, received an update from Sebelius on energy issues and the Legislature’s coal-plant debate.

A Sebelius campaign staffer who sent the message later apologized for mistakenly including a link that took recipients to a Web site where they could make a donation to the governor’s campaign account.

In years past, such a message would likely have run Sebelius afoul of a law prohibiting state-level officials from asking special interests for campaign contributions during the legislative session.

However, the Legislature changed the law last year to make it more difficult to fine lawmakers and statewide elected officials for such violations when they’re accidental.

Carol Williams, executive director of the state Governmental Ethics Commission, said commissioners would have to review Sebelius’ message and the revamped law before reaching a decision on the matter.

Read the rest of Chris Green's report in Thursday's Salina Journal.