As for potential conflicts created by his firm’s lobbying practice, Steube said, “There are rules in place” to address them. He said he doesn’t communicate with his firm’s lobbyists about legislative issues.
“I know who in our firm does government work but I couldn’t even tell you who their clients are,” he said.
Disclosures
State law requires lawmakers to publicly disclose when they have a conflict of interest and abstain from voting on legislation that would “inure to his or her special private gain or loss.” House and Senate rules are also touch on conflict of interest issues. Some argue this is sufficient to remove any conflict that may arise from a legislator working for a firm that lobbies the Legislature.
That was the argument made by some members of a Florida Bar committee recently after they shot down Gallen’s request to reinstate the ethics opinion on lawyer/legislators working for lobbying firms.
Gallen, the Bradenton judge and former Democratic state lawmaker, had been petitioning the Bar to consider the issue for more than a year. In December, he went before a Bar committee that advises the full board of governors on ethics. With little discussion or debate, the committee voted unanimously to take no action on the issue.
