Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-17
Limiting Of Jobs
For Resigning
Officials Is Hit
Puyne Delays Action
On Proposal After
Strong Opposition
By Don S. Worren

BY Don S. Warren
Proposed legislation to prevent
certain District officials from
taking jobs within two years
with business groups they had
been regulating today met with
overwhelming opposition at a
hearing before a Senate District
subcommittee.
The bill was introduced a year
ago by Senator Nicely, Democrat
OF West Virginia after James H,
Flanagan resigned as chairman
of the Public Utilities Commits
sion to become a vice president
of the Capital Transit Co.
Payne Defers Action.
District officials and former
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue criticized the bill as too
broad and otherwise faulty at a
hearing conducted by Chairman
Payne of the Business and Com
merce Subcommittee. He de-
ferred action since he conducted
the hearing alone.
Objections of the Commission
ers were outlined by Assistant
Corporation Counsel Irving
Bryan. He brought out that an
official who did take such a job
could be convicted of a felony
and face Imprisonment of not
less than two years or a fine
Of not less than $4,000, or both.
He said the Commissioners felt
the measure was extremely re-
strictive.
AS drawn, the bill would apply
to members of the Public Utili-
ties Commission and the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Board,
and to the superintendent and
deputy superintendent of in
surance.
James Moran. member of the
ABC Board. protested that a
member of that agency was APP
pointed for a limited period and
received only modest pay. When
he retired or failed to get a re-
appointment. he protested, the
ABC member would not be able
to take a job in any hotel that
dispensed alcoholic beverages
any job from dishwasher up to
manager. If he did. he said, the
proposed bill would brand him as
a criminal.
Lengthening of List.
Albert F. Jordan, superintend-
ent OF insurance. said if such a
bill were to be enacted, the list
of officials concerned should be
greatly expanded. He men,
toned the District Corporation
Counsel as one and Senator
Payne, Republican of Maine
broke in to ask, land perhaps
members of Congress" That
brought laugh all around.
Mr.. Jordan SAID You misht
just as we'll say that when the
services of the specified District
officials are terminated, they
should be taken out and shot"
Chairman Roberts Mclaughlin,
OF the utilities commission, said
he had no personal objection to
the bill. but raised the question
as to whether it was based on
good policy. He said it raises
implications that the appointed
official might be influenced by
some offer Of future appoint
ment in a regulated utility.
Robert M. Weston. member of
the utilities commission. said he
thought the principle of the bill
was good. He said he had long
opposed the practice of many
of entering Government service
as a steppingstone to employ
ment later in industry. He ad-
vised that the bill should not be
weakened by suggested changes
to make 1t similar to a Federal
statute. This prevents certain
Government officials for some
period from representing clients
before the agency on which they
had served.
Flanagan Is Praised.
Senator Payne voiced fear that
national adoption of such a bill
would cause great reluctance on
the part of qualified persons to
accept Government jobs.
Mr.. Donohue said he was more
convinced now than ever that
the measure was "a bad bill"
He referred to Mr.. Flanagan as
"a very fine public servant" who
resigned from District service so
he could provide better for his
family.
He contended that If the bill
is to be enacted. he, too. should
be made subject to it because he
served as a Commissioner. Had
the bill been law before he be-
came a Commissioner. he said.
he would have rejected the
nomination.
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