An Indirect Benefit to a State Official Regarding a County Contract
According to an article in today's New York Daily News, an investigation by the U. S.
Conflicts of Interest
April 13, 2015
Two from Chicago
Mixing Election Oversight and Professional Contracts
According to an Illinois Business Times article on April 5, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners is chaired by an attorney whose law firm has received presumably no-bid contracts to lobby for city agencies, that is, contracts from the administration whose mayor and alders were running for re-election.
Resources & Learning
April 6, 2015
Spring Reading: "Self-Deception" by Herbert Fingarette
I just read a classic work of philosophical psychology, Self-Deception (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1969), wherein Herbert Fingarette takes an interesting approach to a phenomenon common to politics, but which seems paradoxical and, therefore, difficult to understand. How can someone effectively lie to himself as well as to others (and is it still a lie)?
March 30, 2015
Spring Reading: Corruption in America IV
This is the fourth of four blog posts on Zephyr Teachout's excellent new book, Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United (Harvard Univ. Press).
Extortion and Pay to Play
March 30, 2015
Spring Reading: Corruption in America III
This is the third of four blog posts on Zephyr Teachout's excellent new book, Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United (Harvard Univ. Press).
Other Anti-Corruption Laws
March 29, 2015
Spring Reading: Corruption in America II
This is the second of four blog posts on Zephyr Teachout's excellent new book, Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United (Harvard Univ. Press).
A Culture of Gift Giving
March 29, 2015
Spring Reading: Corruption in America I
This is the first of four blog posts in which I will look at Zephyr Teachout's excellent new book, Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United (Harvard Univ.
Ethics Commissions & Administration
March 25, 2015
Dating and Minimum Requirements
An example I often use for why government ethics laws are only minimum requirements is that these laws cannot include friendships or romantic relationships, because these are impossible to define with any precision. When a relationship is not included because it is undefinable, this does not mean that one should not treat this relationship like any other special relationship and withdraw from matters involving that individual. One should go beyond the minimum requirements of the law and withdraw.
March 23, 2015
A New Mayoral Charity in San Diego
According to an article yesterday on the Voice of San Diego website, yet another mayoral pet charity has been created in San Diego, called One San Diego.