Del. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Richmond, said releasing records of interactions with the council would have a “chilling effect” by discouraging officials from seeking advice.

“I don’t think the council should release that under any circumstances,” said McClellan, who also serves on the ethics council and had a hand in crafting the new law.

McClellan said she wouldn’t take issue with legitimate business meetings at sports events, but Redskins-related perks are complicated by the team’s interest in a new stadium in Virginia that would likely involve public incentives.

“I think the way it played out, it probably wasn’t a good idea to do it,” McClellan said.

Though Jones received clearance to proceed, emails show the state’s economic development agency took pains to avoid the event after deciding it posed unavoidable ethical challenges.

The gathering in the box didn’t easily meet the legal exemption in the gift law for “widely attended events.”

The exemption — meant to allow officials to attend civic events such as chamber of commerce banquets — applies to events with expected attendance of at least 25 people. Just 15 guests were in the suite, four of which were representing two companies.