I reported to you last time that the House and Senate arrived at a compromise version of the Ethics bill. It would have required the disclosure of legislator income, but there was no independent review and enforcement mechanism, and so it was essentially reform in name only. I told you in my last update that I probably wouldn’t vote for this bill, and it turns out that no one did because conservative senators Bright and Davis filibustered the bill until the final gavel at 5pm on Thursday. Their argument was that this would allow legislators to pass nothing of substance yet claim victory and avoid the hard choices next year and for many years. I agree with them, and I’m glad they prevented this imaginary reform from becoming law. I look forward next year to debating real reform that includes independent oversight and real penalties for infractions.