The Dope on Lobbying Restrictions

Carol Brown has a problem.

She's a member of the Hailey, Idaho, city council. And that body just passed a series of measures to water down its laws against marijuana use. The Idaho Mountain Express reports that the measures also require city officials to lobby for reform of marijuana laws statewide. That presents a problem for Brown, because she is a federal employee, and as such, can't do such lobbying under federal ethics laws.

"Council member Brown will have to recuse herself from any discussion of these laws in order to retain her federal position," city officials noted in a press release. "Stated differently, council member Brown may have to resign from the Hailey City Council."