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State Sen. Nathaniel Exum (D-Dist. 24) of Capitol Heights is seeking to streamline campaign contribution laws — but not in a good way.

Currently, the Prince George's County Council is not allowed to receive direct donations from developers or anyone involved with a development awaiting the council's approval. Council members who receive campaign contributions directly from developers also cannot vote on those developers' projects for three years. The law is in place to prevent council members from providing development favors to their donors.

There is a loophole to the law, however. Candidates can join slates — a group of politicians who team up to raise money — and make use of developers' contributions that were contributed to the slate.

Exum reportedly sees the loophole as an "impediment" to behavior that is occurring anyway, so he introduced legislation, Senate Bill 391, to simply eliminate the ethics law.

This isn't the first red flag in Exum's record. Last year, questions were raised when Exum helped craft legislation that sought to toughen rules on scrap metal reporting and attempted to exempt some scrap metal companies that recycle cars and scrap, such as the business for which he worked. The legislation died without a final vote.

Also last year, Exum allegedly delayed the confirmation of a new state police superintendent until an automotive inspection station in his district regained its license. Exum said he was simply concerned about diversity in the state police department.

Granted, it isn't unheard of for politicians to help out friends or contributors through legislation or to use legislation as a bargaining chip, but that doesn't make their actions right.

Prince George's residents already have far too many concerns about the ethics of county and state leaders. Booming development in the county has raised even more questions about how developers are getting projects approved in areas where public safety and education facilities are clearly overwhelmed.

Exum's legislation only adds to the public's doubts.

If Exum truly wants to help government work better, instead of removing the law that prevents bad behavior, he should close the loophole that allows it.