CAPITOL PRESS CORPS DENIES BLOGGER ACCESS TO LAWMAKERS WHILE CONCEALING THEIR OWN SOURCES OF INCOME?

Are journalists “licensed” by the State? Is there a special examination for journalists (as for attorneys and other professionals)? Should not journalists be required to take and pass courses in “ethics”?

Even to raise such questions elicits howls of privacy invasion from the “fourth estate”.

Rather they seek to impose restrictive rules on those who would seek their privileges: credentials should go only to those employed by and paid for by legitimate media outlets, with a majority of their income derived from such sources. This “income test” would be applied by the Press Corps Assn. on the basis of disclosure by applicants (one assumes).

Which raises the question of whether Press Corps members – like public officials – shouldn’t be required to disclose their sources of income publicly? Public officials make such disclosure because they control pieces of the government and the public has a right to know to whom (besides themselves) officials might have an obligation toward because of money. If the Press Corps controls access to lawmakers not enjoyed by all, shouldn’t the public know who they are beholden to as well?

An article in this weeks SAN DIEGO READER, for example, notes that BEE pundit Dan Walters was an attendee of a soiree sponsored by Southern California Gas, a Sempra subsidiary. Was he paid for his attendance (in San Luis Obispo)? How much? Who arranged it?

The public wants to know.

Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years.

Mr. Cavala manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.