City Ethics | Breaking the oxymoron: "City Ethics"

Ethics Commissions & Administration August 9, 2010

The Tough Way to Revive a Moribund Ethics Commission

What do you do when an ethics commission is moribund? Sadly, few people know and few people care. That is the norm. Rarely does an official complain publicly, "I have no one to give me good ethics advice." She just goes to the city or county attorney, or makes the decision herself. Rarely does anyone complain that there is no ethics training or nowhere to file an ethics complaint. And certainly no official complains that he doesn't have to file a financial disclosure form anymore.

Conflicts of Interest August 8, 2010

Gifts of Professional Services

The usual image we get when we hear about a government official getting something free from a contractor is of a new kitchen or driveway. But free services can also be invisible, like legal advice and other professional service.

Conflicts of Interest August 7, 2010

Local Government Financial Advisers Must Have No Conflicts

It's important not to have pension board members with serious conflicts of interest, such as a personal interest in the board's investments, or acting as providers of investment products (see my blog post on California reforms prohibiting such conflicts).

August 6, 2010

Yet Another Underhanded Attempt to Water Down the Broward County Ethics Commission's New Ethics Code

Update: August 9, 2010 (see below)

You've got to hand it to them: Broward County (FL) commissioners don't give up. Some of them have fought and fought against the prospect of having a new ethics code, written by the county ethics commission. August 10 is the deadline by which they must either approve the new ethics code, or it will appear on the November ballot.

Enforcement & Complaints August 6, 2010

Intelligence, Motivation, and Legislative Immunity in a Government Ethics Context

It appeared to be a sign of sheer desperation when former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's attorney, in his closing argument last week, used as a defense the fact that Blagojevich isn't "the sharpest knife in the drawer."

Conflicts of Interest August 5, 2010

Parents' Fear of Retaliation

Yesterday, I wrote a blog post about intimidation, but I forgot to mention what might be the greatest fear among citizens relating to their local government: the fear that if they speak out against local officials, especially school officials, it will affect their school-age children.

Ethics Commissions & Administration August 5, 2010

EC Members' Backgrounds and Misuse of Office

There is no greater pleasure for some people than accusing ethics professionals and ethics commission members of unethical behavior. That is why ethics professionals and ethics commission members have to be extra careful about what they do, and why individuals who have not dealt responsibly with conflicts of interest, at least in the recent past, should not accept a nomination to an ethics commission.

Enforcement & Complaints August 4, 2010

Intimidation — The Worst Offense in Government Ethics

Updates: August 4 and 9, 2010 (see below)
I was just saying to someone the other day that the worst offenses in local government ethics do not involve money. The worst offenses in local government ethics involve intimidation, which causes people to lose their peace of mind, their reputations, and the feeling that they may participate in their local government, things no amount of money can buy. And yet it is the rare ethics complaint or arrest that primarily involves intimidation. Well, this just happened yesterday, in Palm Beach County.

Conflicts of Interest August 3, 2010

How to Paint Yourself into a Corner By Not Responsibly Handling Your Conflict Right Up Front

In March I wrote a blog post about a situation in La Crosse, Wisconsin where the mayor brought his father, who runs a refuse business, to meet with a county official about a county solid waste assessment. A council member sought advice from the city attorney rather than the city ethics board, and then the mayor said he would put the matter before the ethics board. His father's company has a refuse contract with the mayor's city.

Ethics Codes & Reform August 2, 2010

Why Do Election Law Professionals Discuss the Latest Developments So Much More Than Government Ethics Professionals?

There is an intriguing blog post on Rick Hasen's Election Law Blog this morning, entitled, Is Reading a Legal Blog in One's Field Now Part of the Due Diligence of Lawyers?

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