THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 8, 1997 TAG: 9702080347
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 39 lines
Sen. L. Louise Lucas reported a $1,000 honorarium on her annual Statement of Economic Interests, apparently without realizing speaking fees are prohibited for General Assembly members.
``They are?'' she replied, when told by a reporter that the Assembly passed legislation several years ago making honorariums illegal.
Later, after reading the law, Lucas said she believed there was nothing improper about the $1,000 speaking fee she received from Norfolk State University last year.
The law bars payment for any speech in which a lawmaker ``provides expertise or opinions related to the performance of official duties.''
Lucas, a Portsmouth Democrat, said an ``inspirational'' speech she gave at an NSU honors banquet dealt with the value of education in her life. ``It had nothing to do with my expertise as a member of the Virginia Senate.''
Lucas added that she was chosen to give the speech because, as the only NSU graduate in the Assembly, she is a role model for blacks who aspire to hold elected office.
Asked if that meant she was paid because she was a legislator, Lucas replied, ``Probably.''
Lucas is employed by NSU, earning about $45,000 a year as a professor and federal-grants coordinator.
She said she saw nothing wrong with taking a $1,000 fee for speaking to students at her alma mater.
``It was work. I worked on that speech five or six evenings and part of one whole day. Without the honorarium, to spend the time I spent, I would not have given the speech.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Sen. L. Louise Lucas said her speech at NSU ``had nothing to do with
my expertise as a member of the Virginia Senate.''
KEYWORDS: SPEECH ILLEGAL HONORARIUMS GENERAL ASSEMBLY