Newly elected Sen. Konni Burton (TP-Crazyville) desperately wants to become the Ted Cruz of the Texas Senate.  To advance that claim, Burton announced she will ban public-sector lobbyists from her office.  If Burton follows her policy she will exclude representatives of municipalities, counties, school districts, public universities, river authorities, and water districts.  Burton will exclude representatives of the areas she allegedly serves.  Any person officially representing citizens in Fort Worth, Arlington, or a local school district will not be allowed into her office to advocate or inform Burton on issues that could help or hurt the her constituents.  This unusual policy did not prevent Burton from accepting campaign contributions from some of the now-banned lobbyists.   It would be one thing if Burton’s lobbyist ban was universal, but of course it is not, because Burton will still welcome lobbyists representing private corporations or special interest groups.  The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (not exactly a liberal rag) is not amused.

Burton says lobbyists “very well could be pushing policy that is in direct conflict with the will of the people.” She shouldn’t make that judgment before she knows what they want to talk about. Elected officials in her district hire lobbyists to push specific policies, presumably ones they believe represent “the will of the people.”  She can make lobbyists tell her what they want to discuss and decide case by case which she wants to hear. To reject them all without consideration is a disservice to the people back home, and it’s not smart.