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Director of Research, Retired — CityEthics
Robert Wechsler
Local Government Ethics Scholar & Author · North Haven, Connecticut
Robert Wechsler is the founding voice of CityEthics — the author of more than 2,000 blog posts, the City Ethics Model Code, and three major reference works on local government ethics. A former book editor and lawyer, he joined CityEthics as Director of Research in the early 2000s and spent a decade building the most comprehensive open-source resource for municipal ethics programs in the United States. He retired in 2016 having accomplished his stated writing goals, leaving behind a body of work that remains the definitive reference for ethics commission members, local government attorneys, and municipal administrators across the country.
Roles & Contributions
Director of Research
CityEthics
2006 – 2016
Founded and wrote the only dedicated local government ethics blog in the United States, producing more than 2,000 posts analyzing ethics cases, commission decisions, and policy developments from cities and counties across the country. Drafted the City Ethics Model Code — the foundational ethics code template used by municipalities nationwide.
Administrator
New Haven Democracy Fund · New Haven, CT
2007 – 2012
Served as the first Administrator of one of the few local public campaign financing programs in the United States, overseeing the Democracy Fund for New Haven's mayoral elections.
Ethics Code Consultant
Common Cause Connecticut
2000s
Prepared a Model Code of Ethics for Connecticut municipalities and authored reports on the state's municipal ethics codes and forms of municipal government.
Book Editor
Publishing industry
17 years
Spent seventeen years as a professional book editor before turning to ethics research and writing. Author of Performing Without a Stage: The Art of Literary Translation.
Attorney
Private practice
Early career
Practiced law before transitioning to writing and government ethics research.
Publications
Local Government Ethics Programs
The definitive reference guide for ethics commission members, staff, and local government attorneys. Edition 2.0. Creative Commons license. Available at cityethics.org/publications
Local Government Ethics Programs in a Nutshell
A concise overview of the key principles and program elements. Available as a standalone e-book.
Regulation of Local Lobbying
A comprehensive guide to local lobbying oversight codes and programs. © 2016.
City Ethics Model Code
Annotated model ethics code for municipalities, with full commentary explaining the reasoning behind each provision. Inspired by Mark Davies' landmark Fordham Urban Law Journal model (1993).
Performing Without a Stage: The Art of Literary Translation
Book on the craft of literary translation, reflecting Rob's earlier career as editor and translator.
Education
A.B., Harvard College
Harvard University
J.D., Columbia University School of Law
Columbia University
Location
North Haven, Connecticut