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Ethics Allegations Often Bring Out the Worst in Elected Officials
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Robert Wechsler
According to an
article in Town Talk, an allegation against the mayor of Alexandria
(LA) of ignoring a conflict of interest has led to some all too typical
denial, squabbling, and inappropriate city attorney activity.
The city council's legal committee passed a motion to conduct an investigation into the mayor's alleged conflict. The mayor's first response was not to provide information, but to accuse the council president of being behind the investigation (he is not on the legal committee), and then to accuse him of having a conflict, even though his conflict situation was heard by the council, which made a determination in May.
The council president called this a "smoke-and-mirrors tactic," and the mayor called the investigation a political maneuver. As I said, denial and squabbling, instead of responsibly dealing with a potential conflict.
The mayor also said, "It's very difficult to prove or disprove a negative. ... I can't figure out how to answer something that just isn't true." Showing that one did not have a conflict of interest is not proving a negative. It is showing what the relationship was, what the parties' financial and personal interests were, etc.
One thing the mayor said is true: if the council feels he ignored a conflict of interest, it could file a complaint with the state ethics commission. This would be far better than having the council investigate the mayor when there are serious political tensions between them. Many people are not going to trust the council to be fair.
According to the article, the city attorney "declined to comment, other than saying his job is to protect his clients, including both the mayor and City Council." First of all, a lawyer cannot represent both mayor and council in this dispute. And yet, according to the article, an assistant city attorney looked into the matter for the council soon after the mayor took office.
Second, a city attorney's job is not to "protect" anyone, but to represent the city.
Allegations of unethical behavior often bring out the worst in politicians. This is why they should be kept away from government ethics programs, except to provide ethical leadership.
For more on the alleged conflict, see this article in today's The Light, an Alexandria community newspaper.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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The city council's legal committee passed a motion to conduct an investigation into the mayor's alleged conflict. The mayor's first response was not to provide information, but to accuse the council president of being behind the investigation (he is not on the legal committee), and then to accuse him of having a conflict, even though his conflict situation was heard by the council, which made a determination in May.
The council president called this a "smoke-and-mirrors tactic," and the mayor called the investigation a political maneuver. As I said, denial and squabbling, instead of responsibly dealing with a potential conflict.
The mayor also said, "It's very difficult to prove or disprove a negative. ... I can't figure out how to answer something that just isn't true." Showing that one did not have a conflict of interest is not proving a negative. It is showing what the relationship was, what the parties' financial and personal interests were, etc.
One thing the mayor said is true: if the council feels he ignored a conflict of interest, it could file a complaint with the state ethics commission. This would be far better than having the council investigate the mayor when there are serious political tensions between them. Many people are not going to trust the council to be fair.
According to the article, the city attorney "declined to comment, other than saying his job is to protect his clients, including both the mayor and City Council." First of all, a lawyer cannot represent both mayor and council in this dispute. And yet, according to the article, an assistant city attorney looked into the matter for the council soon after the mayor took office.
Second, a city attorney's job is not to "protect" anyone, but to represent the city.
Allegations of unethical behavior often bring out the worst in politicians. This is why they should be kept away from government ethics programs, except to provide ethical leadership.
For more on the alleged conflict, see this article in today's The Light, an Alexandria community newspaper.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
---
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