CHARLESTON — Insisting his motives are both pure and sincere, Sen. Mike Green pleaded with his Senate colleagues Tuesday to ban fundraising by lawmakers while in a 60-day session.

Green allowed that some had voiced concern over his bill, since it was sandwiched between fundraisers on behalf of Senate President Jeffrey Kessler, D-Marshall, and Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming.

Green, D-Raleigh, has been at odds with the Democratic leadership since he failed in an attempt to beat Kessler for the Senate presidency.

In the wake of his defeat, Green leveled criticism at both men, then lost first his chairmanship, and ultimately his seat itself, on the Energy, Industry and Mining Committee.

“I assure everyone in this body and everyone who can hear my voice that had absolutely nothing to do with the intention of this legislation or the timing of it coming up,” he said of recent fundraising efforts.

“The sole purpose of this legislation is to instill confidence the public has in this process.”

In his six-year tenure, Green said he recalled no fundraising events during a 60-day session.

A year ago, he reminded his fellow senators, the ethics law was strengthened, and had some fundraisers been held then, that element might have been worked into the bill.

“I think my intentions are very pure, very sincere, in the purpose of this legislation,”  Green said.

Afterward, Kessler said it appears to him some constitutional issues could surface in Green’s proposal, since an incumbent would be barred from raising cash but an opponent would be free to hold such events.

“We can’t even get people at the federal level to identify who they are in terms of corporate contributions,” the Senate president said.

“I can’t imagine the Supreme Court of the United States would look fondly upon a prohibition of fundraising at all when we can’t even get them to tell you who they are.”

Kessler said he is in accord on one of Green’s points — that fundraisers are distasteful.

“But the way it is now, if we preclude legislators from doing it, there’s nothing to prohibit your opponent under this current version of the bill from having fundraisers every night in Charleston,” he said.

“That’s a door that’s got to swing both ways.”

What’s more, he said, the legislation fails to address fundraisers while lawmakers are in town for monthly interims meetings.

At that time, he pointed out, legislation, while not being voted on, is under construction and is being prepared.

“Same people, just a different time,” he said.

“No one forces you to show up (at fundraisers) or to donate.”

In his floor remarks, Green said he is willing to sponsor and support any amendments that would bar anyone from raising funds during a session.

And, Green said he would agree to any amendment that would continue to allow lawmakers to take part in fundraisers of a non-political flavor, such as benefiting a scouting organization.

“Fundraising in a session creates an environment where special interest groups and lobbyists may feel some undue pressure to participate, to advocate for pending legislation,” Green said.

“Do I think a vote would be cast one way or another? No, I do not. I have the utmost respect for this process and everyone here. But it’s the public perception.”

Twenty-nine states limit fundraising during sessions, including Maryland, Kentucky and Virginia, and 15 of them bar any contributions period.

Judiciary Chairman Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, said he hasn’t examined Green’s bill.

“I was surprised to hear so many of the states have done something like that,” he added.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com