Advisory Opinion 96-01
Date
01/12/1996
Number
96-01
Requester
Confidential
Topic
Gifts - Reasonable Expectation - Lobbyists
Issue/Question
May a legislator, without using public resources, solicit or accept from lobbyists funds to pay registration and travel fees to attend a legislative-related conference in circumstances where the persons or entities solicited, or from whom the funds would be accepted, would not sponsor or conduct the conference?
Summary
RCW 42.52.140, which prohibits a legislator from accepting or soliciting any thing of value if the circumstances were such that "it could be reasonably expected" that the thing of value would influence official judgment or was a reward for official conduct, would be violated under the facts presented.