Miller's Daughter Bat Mitzvah Generates Ethics Opinion



The Executive Ethics Commission said Finance and Administration Cabinet Secretary Jonathan Miller's daughter can't get gifts valued at over $25 from those “doing business with, regulated by, seeking grants from, involved in litigation against, or lobbying or attempting to influence the Secretary’s official actions or the actions of his state agency (Finance)…”. But it is okay for her to accept lobbyist gifts from those not dealing with his Cabinet – as long as he reports gifts that are worth over $200.  Advisory Opinion 09-15:


Finance & Administration Cabinet Secretary Jonathan Miller emailed out this announcement a week or so ago. Not wishing to rain on his daughter's big day, we held on to it. It is nice he is a proud dad. Why does this message makes me uncomfortable? Maybe it's because there's an Executive Ethics Opinion attached to her big day.


And the magic of FaceBook? Oh my.

 


From: Jonathan Miller


Date: 5/3/2009 7:19:32 AM


Subject: The Miller Times -- Abigail and Emily Edition


 


I'm a very proud daddy this morning.


 


And thanks to the magic of Facebook, I can share my pride with all of my friends -- multi-media style.


 


Just go to my Facebook Page: http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Jonathan-Miller/28541013747


 


You will see:


 


1. A beautiful column that was published in the Lexington Herald Leader this morning about my 12-year-old daughter Abigail.  She is having her Bat Mitzvah next weekend, and the article discusses the coming-of-age ceremony, as well as the community service project Abby chose to make part of it.


 


2. On Earth Day (April 22), my 15-year-old daughter Emily accompanied me and dozens of others on the Clean Energy Corps Hybrid Bus Tour, during which we witnessed energy efficiency improvements of modest-income homes in 5 counties in Central and Eastern Kentucky, as part of the Clean Energy Corps effort, in which we hope to use federal stimulus dollars to do the same for 10,000 modest-income homes across the state.  Pictures and reports of the event are available on the Facebook Page, including a Herald editorial endorsing the new program.


 


3. A few months ago Abigail directed a video starring Emily and Ashley Judd (no kidding!) to introduce people to the First Annual Green Team Kentucky Online Film Festival, sponsored by Kentucky's First Lady Jane Beshear.  75 films were submitted, with entries ranging from accomplished filmakers to girl scout troops.  After an online poll, and the decisions of a panel of celebrity judges (including Ashley, Gus Van Sant, Florence Henderson, and Nappy Roots), this week the winners were announced.  On my Page, you can now watch the outstanding winning films as well as the Miller girls' production.


 


Again, just click here (or copy and paste to your browser): http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Jonathan-Miller/28541013747


 


You don't have to be a Facebook member to go to the Page; but if you are, I encourage you to go to the upper left corner and "Become a Fan" of the Page to get my irrregular, non-spam updates.


 


Thanks!


 


Jonathan Miller