CHEYENNE — Gov. Mark Gordon signed an executive order Tuesday prohibiting the delivery, acceptance or solicitation of campaign contributions on property where state business is being conducted.

“This executive order is about protecting public trust,” Gordon said in a press release.

While the order covers space such as state office buildings and commercial buildings where the state leases offices, it does not extend to areas that are managed by the legislative or judicial branches, such as the Legislative Service Office, committee rooms, and the Senate and House Chambers.

The order comes a week after an incident where a Teton County political activist handed checks from a GOP donor to legislators on the House Floor last week. Rep. Darin McCann, R-Rock Springs, and Rep. Marlene Brady, R-Green River, were recipients of some of those checks according to Wyofile. McCann did not reply to an email from SweetwaterNOW asking about the situation prior to the publication of this post. Brady did reply.

“No comment,” Brady wrote to SweetwaterNOW.

Gordon’s order comes after the incident has drawn the attention of the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, which has announced it will launch a criminal investigation into allegations of bribery, which have stemmed from reports and photos of the incident. A House Special Committee that was tasked with looking into the incident has paused its investigation into the matter as the criminal investigation continues.

“Our Capitol belongs to the people of Wyoming, and even the appearance of inappropriateness should never be ignored. My duty is to act to ensure the highest level of integrity is enforced for the people of this great state. I am doing so today in the spaces I have control over,” Gordon said. “I, like most Wyomingites, believe the House and Senate floors are hallowed places for doing the people’s business, and should never serve as a campaign headquarters. Legislators should not be put in the position of being personally approached by lobbyists, activists or others with campaign contributions during the legislative session or when they are working in their official capacities, especially in state-controlled office or meeting spaces. I thank the Senate for taking immediate action to prohibit this behavior in their chambers.”