News-Record.com

House Speaker Jim Black is under scrutiny for his fund-raising practices, favoring special interests and rewarding legislators who keep him in power. A committee chairwoman has taken a sudden interest in a bill that would stop lawmakers from putting campaign money to personal use. And the state attorney general has called for an open budgeting process and higher ethics in government.

Blust has pushed for all these issues and been ignored or, worse, put down by the powerful defenders of the status quo.

He hasn't been an irritant only to Democratic leaders like Black. When Republican Richard Morgan was co-speaker, Blust found him to be an even more ravenous Canus lupus. Morgan responded by denying Blust prime committee assignments and even a secretary.

No wonder Blust ranked 118th out of 119 House members in the 2004 effectiveness survey by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research. It was based on input from legislators, reporters and lobbyists. Black was No. 1.

Blust feels vindicated by recent events.

"It's not going to be so bad to be ranked low," he said. "How many people want their representative to be rated high by the lobbyists?"

Yet, Blust could see his stock rise when new rankings come out this spring, according to Ran Coble, executive director of the N.C. Center. To a great extent, opinion is shifting Blust's way.

"He gets a lot of credit," Coble said. "It takes guts to stand up to legislative leaders and say there's something wrong with this process."

The media have noticed. A Charlotte Observer editorial pointed to efforts by Blust and Rep. John Rhodes of Mecklenburg County: Black has had little use for them, it said, "But both of them have ideas about how to reform the legislative process that ought to be aired."

The News & Observer of Raleigh quoted Blust in a story about legislators converting leftover campaign contributions for personal uses, and the Winston-Salem Journal included his comments in a report on how legislative leaders dole out "discretionary" funds.

Last week, Attorney General Roy Cooper, a Democrat, proposed a series of ethics regulations that echo some of Blust's suggestions.

"It's kind of gratifying to see someone like Roy Cooper, who used to be part of the Senate leadership, say, 'Oh, yeah, we've got to change the way we do the budget.' I've been saying that since June of '96, when I first saw it," Blust said.

Blust complained persistently that rank-and-file legislators aren't given time to read the budget, or debate it, before the vote is called. That lets leaders slip in special appropriations for pet projects and favors for legislators who keep them in power. It's a way to use the weight of government to benefit the few.

Those who go along with the system are rewarded. Those who oppose it don't get the better committee assignments, don't win funding for their districts, don't get bills passed.

At least, that's how it was.

Now, all the lawmakers who have kept quiet, cooperated, been complicit in the corruption have some explaining to do. Where were they when a lottery vendor was trying to gain the inside track, when political pals were given state jobs, when optometrists were handed an eye-exam boondoggle? Didn't anybody else see a wolf? Or were they content with a scrap of mutton now and then?

Now that a few guns are pointing at the wolves, attitudes may be changing. Nervous legislators will see the advantages of cleaning up the House (and Senate). Blust is likely to be more popular with his colleagues by the time the General Assembly reconvenes in May.

"Legislative reform headquarters" won't be such a lonely place anymore.