In the news

The perceived independence of an ethics commission is extremely important. This perceived independence has become an issue in Frankfort (KY), according to an article in Tuesday's State-Journal.

It's been four days since Sunshine Week ended, but it's not too late to point out Sunshine Review's first Sunny Awards, given to state and local governments whose websites meet the organization's transparency guidelines, which consider website information on budgets, meetings,...

Yesterday, my attention was drawn to a new organization called Foundation for Ethics in Public Service, Inc., which operates as the website www.reportpubliccorruption.org. On February 11, its executive director, Leslie W. Merritt, Jr., a former North Carolina state auditor, sent out a statement to...

Update: June 7, 2010 (see below)

There is some very good news out of Rhode Island, even if it is over a month old. The house majority leader, now the speaker of the house, Gordon Fox, has introduced a bill seeking a referendum in November on a constitutional...

When is a gift a campaign contribution? This issue has been raised in the trial of a Manhattan surrogate court judge, according to an article in yesterday's New York Times.

Here are two interesting situations where it is not clear what an ethics commission's role and authority are. One in Baltimore, the other in Philadelphia.