On Monday, February 9th — the very first day of the Wyoming legislative session — it was reported that campaign contribution checks were being handed out to certain members of the Legislature on the House floor. It was later confirmed that this did in fact occur. In all my years of watching and participating in Wyoming politics, I’ve never seen anything like it.
Do I care that people want to give campaign contributions to candidates they support? No. Wyoming and federal law allow for that.
But there is a time and a place for such activity, and the House floor—on Day One of the legislative session—is not it.
Distributing campaign checks in that setting shows a severe lack of judgment. Worse, it exposes both the givers and the recipients to potential ethical and constitutional scrutiny. What we have on our hands isn’t just a mess. It’s a mess of constitutional proportions.
Every lawmaker who accepted a check under those circumstances revealed something troubling: a lack of awareness of the Wyoming Constitution and a disregard for the moral obligations of public office. The optics alone should have stopped them. The fact that it didn’t raises serious questions about judgment and integrity.
Wyoming’s Constitution is not vague on this point. Article 3, Sections 42 through 45 lay out the seriousness of bribery, solicitation, and even the appearance of undue influence.
The framers understood that public trust can be eroded not only by explicit quid‑pro‑quo arrangements, but by conduct that creates the perception of vote‑buying. When money changes hands on the House floor—on the first day of the session, no less—it is hard to imagine worse optics.
Some have said, “Well, maybe it was innocent.” Perhaps. But innocence is not the standard for public trust. Optics matter. Timing matters. Location matters. And the public deserves to know that their elected officials understand the difference between what is merely legal and what is unquestionably improper.
What troubles me most is not just the act itself, but the casualness of it. I personally heard that one Senator had the sense to decline the check. I commend this person. But the fact that others accepted it without hesitation is, frankly, flabbergasting.
It suggests that some in our Legislature have grown numb to the ethical boundaries that should guide public service. Politics has become a convenient excuse to do shady things, as if the ends justify the means. That mindset is corrosive, and it must be confronted.
This is not a partisan issue. If the roles were reversed, people would still be outraged—and they’d be right to be. This is a matter of constitutional integrity. Wyoming citizens deserve a Legislature that takes its oath seriously, respects the Constitution, and understands that public trust is fragile.
Something needs to be done. The question is what. Here are some suggestions.
This moment is a symptom of a deeper problem: the erosion of ethical seriousness in public life. Wyoming can lead by example. We can insist that our elected officials rise above the cynicism that dominates national politics and return to the basic virtues of honesty, restraint, and respect for the Constitution.
Second, the legislative institution must hold itself to a standard beyond reproach. This incident should prompt the Legislature to adopt clear rules prohibiting the distribution or acceptance of campaign contributions anywhere inside the Capitol during session. If common sense isn’t enough to prevent this, then formal guardrails are needed.
Third, we need to set a strong precedent—right now—that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated. Zero tolerance going forward. Wyoming’s Constitution demands it, and the people of Wyoming deserve nothing less.
Finally, the Legislature should establish a public investigative body to examine what happened. Ethics complaints filed behind closed doors can be quietly dismissed. The public deserves a transparent process and public results. If nothing improper occurred, an investigation will clear the air. If something did, accountability must follow.
This episode is a reminder that the health of our institutions depends on the everyday choices of the people who serve in them. Integrity isn’t built in grand gestures; it’s built in moments like these, when no one expects scrutiny and the easy path is to look the other way.
Wyoming has always prided itself on straight talk and honest dealing, and we should expect nothing less from those who represent us. If we allow this to pass without consequence, we send a message that ethical lines are optional and constitutional boundaries are negotiable.
That cannot be the standard in Wyoming. Public trust is too precious to squander, and the only way to preserve it is to draw a bright line and defend it—firmly, consistently, and without apology.
Scott Clem can be reached at: ScottClem@live.com
