A leading proponent of raising salaries for the state’s elected constitutional officers has asked one of them, state Treasurer Shane Osborn, to drop one of his two jobs.

“I and my legislative colleagues did not support a substantial salary increase for constitutional officers in order that they become higher paid part-timers. Or two-timers,” Sen. Ernie Chambers says in a seven-page letter he gave to Osborn, who has taken heat in recent days for continuing to work for an insurance brokerage since being elected.

Osborn says he spends about 50 hours a week doing treasurer work, that it is his first priority and the office is performing at a high level by exceeding benchmarks in areas including the return of unclaimed property to owners.

In the face of criticism, Osborn has asked for information on which other elected officials have had outside business interest over the past decade or so. Media reports, he said Tuesday, “act like this is some rare occurrence.”

Chambers’ letter includes a poem he wrote called “ethics” and a section called “T.N.T,” for “tawdry ’n’ tacky,” which the senator says describes Osborn’s conduct.

“Mr. Stand-Up,” Chambers says in conclusion, referring to Osborn’s private-sector boss’s description of Osborn as a stand-up person, “allow me to end this presentation with a final biblical injunction: Choose this day whom you shall serve.”

Osborn took issue with the letter, saying Chambers unfairly questioned his military service. Osborn gained fame in 2001 when he landed a damaged spy plane on Chinese soil, helping save the lives of crew members. Chambers reminds Osborn in the letter that some criticize him for “not ditching that spy plane in the sea.”

“Questioning my military service is out of line,” Osborn said. “He has freedoms I fought to defend.”

He described the letter as “a long, rambling diatribe — he’s quoting Dionne Warwick and questioning my military service.”

Osborn said he is not considering resigning from the SilverStone Group of Omaha, where he is a co-owner and shareholder and sells aviation insurance.

Before deciding to continue working for SilverStone Group, he checked with both Attorney General Jon Bruning’s office and the Accountability and Disclosure Commission to make sure it was legal. Told that it was, Osborn decided to stay on and said he has not tried to make a secret of his plans to do so.

He said he devotes up to 20 hours a week at SilverStone in his off time.

Last year, the Legislature raised salaries of constitutional officers such as the treasurer and secretary of state. The treasurer’s salary was increased to $85,000 from $60,000.