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Superior Handling of a Conflict Matter

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
Robert Wechsler
Too many of my blog entries look at instances where things did not go right. One reason is that when things do go right, no one talks about them. Another reason is that so often ethics problems are not handled very well.

So it's nice to read about the proper handling of a conflict situation in Superior, Wisconsin. I suppose when you live in a town with this name, your aspirations are greater than most cities'.

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The Special Responsibilities of Prosecutors -- and Other Local Government Attorneys

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
Robert Wechsler

An article on the front page of today's New York Times presents us with an opportunity to focus on the special ethical responsibilities of prosecutors, and other local government attorneys.

An assistant district attorney in Manhattan, Daniel Bibb, was asked to reinvestigate a murder where the conviction of two men was put into question by new evidence. Bibb came to believe that the two...

Acknowledging Ethics Violations in Settlements

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008
Robert Wechsler

Should an agreement between an ethics commission and a respondent, which ends an ethics proceeding, include an acknowledgment by the respondent that he violated the ethics law?

According to an article in yesterday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee thinks not. The Arkansas Ethics Commission director disagrees.

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Registrars of Voters and Their Conflicts

Friday, June 20th, 2008
Robert Wechsler
If you were going to set up a local election system devoted to fairness and to voters, how would you have registrars of voters selected? Would you have them appointed or elected? Would you have them be party members or nonpartisan?

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The Benefits of Hyperlinking Ethics Codes, and the Dependency of Children

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
Robert Wechsler
According to an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, a county commissioner in Ohio voted on a contract that went to her non-dependent son, and she is being investigated by the Ohio Ethics Commission.

Let me say first that I think it's outrageous for a public official to vote on a contract that's going to her son, dependent or not. The county commissioner says she...

Pension Forfeiture

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
Robert Wechsler
My state, Connecticut, has just added itself to the at least 14 states that provide for public official pension forfeiture. Like some of the other states, its new law covers municipal officials.

Pension forfeiture is the capital punishment of government ethics.  It makes legislators look like they care about ethics, and it makes people feel that justice has been done. And with all these "good" emotions sparking supportive editorials, few think about the arguments pro and con, or...

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