It’s that time again, kids. I wade through the muck of numbers and newsletters so you don’t have to.

The latest Legislative Ethics Commission news is out and I figure you’d enjoy the highlights:

• 639 employers have spent an average of $1.25 million per month on compensating their 629 registered lobbyists in Kentucky. The average was $1.23 million per month in 2008.
• $11.25 million was spent on lobbying from January 2009 through the end of August 2009. A whole $10 million was spent on lobbyist compensation. That’s major – because the 2009 session was only 29 days and the June special session was only eight.
• $16.9 million was spent on lobbying in 2008 for the 60-day session and vie day special – the most on record. That total includes $14.7 million in lobbyist compensation, more than twice the $7.1 million spent ten years prior in 1998.
• Since the beginning of the year, 1,268 employers and lobbyists have spent an average of $16,868/month on receptions and meals for legislators. That’s roughly 30% lower than the $23,630/month in 2008.
• Employers and lobbyists have spent just $34 on meals and beverages for individual legislators this year – down from the $516 in 2008.
• $33,893 was spent (combined) on the annual meetings of the National Conference of State Legislatures, Southern Legislative Conference and American Legislative Exchange Council (the “Kentucky Night” events). That’s a drop of 24% from 2008 when $44,465 was spent.
• At NCSL in Philadelphia this year, 88 employers and 18 lobbyists spent a joint $16,216 on Kentucky legislators and their guests. They spent $15,631 last year in New Orleans.
• 106 employers and 18 lobbyists spent $10,926 at the SLC in Winston-Salen. Spent $13,250 last year in Oklahoma City.
• 68 employers and 13 lobbyists spent $6,751 on an event for state legislators at ALEC’s Atlanta conference. Spent $15,578 last year in Chicago.

Isn’t that a lot of dough? Our heads are spinning.

And here’s this tidbit about lawyerin ethics:

The Kentucky Rules of Professional Conduct have been amended and there are several major changes. Of particular importance is new Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 3.130(8.3), which requires a lawyer to report another lawyer who has ‘’committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial question as to the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.” There is a similar reporting requirement for violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Exceptions exist for information protected by Rule 1.6 (confidentiality) or other law, and for information obtained as a result of participation in the Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program or the Ethics Hotline.

The Supreme Court Commentary to SCR 3.130(8.3) explains that, as a self-regulated profession, lawyers must initiate disciplinary investigations when they know about the misconduct of others. The rule does not, however, require reporting of every possible circumstance where the lawyer thinks there might be a problem. The obligation to report is only triggered when a lawyer has actual knowledge of a violation; knowledge can be inferred from the circumstances. Moreover, the offense must be a serious one; it must involve the core values of the profession – honesty, trustworthiness and fitness.

Till the next bit of ethics news…