It's amazing how quickly a legislature can move when a bill is so
embarrassing, the state's major newspaper calls it "Great for unethical
public
officials. Lousy for taxpayers." How quickly? Same day service.
Two months ago, I wrote a
blog entry about the en masse resignation of the Jackson County
(MO) ethics commission, and said that this was a sign that things were
seriously wrong in that county. Little did I know.
As I wrote in a blog entry nearly two years ago, Memphis has broken
records in terms of convicted public officials. But its mayor of
seventeen years, Willie Herenton, has stood above it all. At least
until now.
One result of the many convictions in Memphis was a new ethics
ordinance in 2007 (not directly accessible via the city website
search mechanism)...