“The truth is the vast majority of gifts and trips are given because the gift givers want something in return,” said Rey Lopez-Calderon, executive director of California Common Cause, a government watchdog organization. “It's not just a question of the gift giver wanting something in return, but that the public could infer that even if it's not true. There is potential for the public's faith in government to be undermined.”

Source: Los Angeles Times March 05, 2019 21:00 UTC