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My Book Is Finally Available (and it's free)
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Robert Wechsler
The book I've been working on for what seems like ages is finally available! With the exciting title Local Government Ethics Programs, this is the first comprehensive resource book on the subject. The subtitle subtly hints at the audience for this book: A Resource for Ethics Commission Members, Ethics Reformers, Local Officials, Attorneys, Journalists, and Students. But I think ethics commission staff members will enjoy the book the most.
I don't expect anyone to read this 831-page book from cover to cover. There is some suspense, but not enough to get anyone but a serious government ethics geek to plow through the sample ethics code language. In fact, let me give away the ending, so you won't feel disappointed when you give up halfway (Spoiler Alert!): the culprit, advised by a member of the city attorney's office, employs the legislative immunity defense, and gets away with murder (or, at least, with giving a fat contract to his slim sister).
This book is not a collection of blog posts. In fact, over the next few weeks, I'll be including some of the juiciest parts of the book in my blog postings.
This book not only looks at best (and worst) practices, but presents a vision of what government ethics is and what a government ethics program can be. Besides the expected chapters on different sorts of conflicts, it has chapters on ethics reform, ethics environments, and obstacles to overcome in instituting a quality ethics program. It also discusses such things as dealing with institutional corruption, considering officials' blind spots, and the role of government attorneys in an ethics program.
It is a resource book, explaining every aspect of government ethics, linking to useful online materials, even providing a glossary of terms.
It is also a how-to book, explaining how to achieve ethics reform, how to recognize damaging ethics code language, how to deal with all the things officials say, even how to prevent the dread legislative immunity defense.
And it will work as a text to provide ethics commission members and staff with the sort of knowledge of local government ethics they can't find anywhere else.
And did I say that it's free? And it comes in four formats, to be read online (HTML) or to be read on e-books, tablets, and cellphones (PDF, MOBI, and EPUB). It contains both internal links and links to sources on the Internet.
And the book will be upgraded and updated from time to time. Toward this end, I welcome feedback. I can't make the best possible resource book all on my own. Your input will make it all it can be. Please send me your criticism, recommended additions, etc. Blurbs are also welcome.
Below, to titillate you, is the Table of Contents. And here's the link to the book page.
CONTENTS
Preface and Acknowledgments
I. Introduction: What Local Government Ethics Is and Isn’t
A. The Basics
B. Sources of Confusion
C. The Moral Development of Government Organizations
D. Why Local Government Ethics Is Important in the U.S.
II. What a Local Government Ethics Program Consists Of
III. Basic Conflict Provision and Withdrawal
A. Conflicts of Interest
B. Preferential Treatment
C. Withdrawal from Participation
IV. Other Conflict Provisions
A. Gifts
B. Confidential Information
C. Representation and Appearances
D. Post-Employment
E. Misuse of Government Property
F. Political Activity
G. Patronage
H. Nepotism
I. Incompatible Offices
J. Transactions with Subordinates
K. Complicity and Knowledge
L. Appearance of Impropriety
M. Minor Provisions
N. State Ethics Laws That Apply Locally
O. Federal Laws That Apply Locally
P. Public Administration Association Codes of Ethics
Q. Vagueness
V. Transparency: The Three Kinds of Disclosure
A. Transactional Disclosure
B. Annual Disclosure
C. Applicant Disclosure
D. Other Kinds of Disclosure
E. Enforcement
VI. Procurement
A. Procurement and Government Ethics
B. The Procurement Process
C. Procurement and Campaign Finance
D. Criminal Enforcement
E. Federal Grants Management Common Rule
VII. Guidance: Advice, Training, and Discussion
A. Government Ethics Advice
B. Government Ethics Training
C. Government Ethics Discussion
VIII. Administration
A. Ethics Commission Independence
B. Ethics Commission Staff
C. The Website
D. Annual Reports
E. Recommendations for Ethics Program Improvement
F. Public Relations
G. Rules of Procedure, Regulations, and Bylaws
H. Checklist of Ethics Commission Activities
I. Going Beyond the Call of Duty
IX. Enforcement
A. Filing Complaints
B. Jurisdiction
C. Dealing with Complaints
C. Preliminary Investigations
D. Expanding a Proceeding, or Taking an Alternate Approach
E. Confidentiality and Transparency
F. Hearings
G. Penalties
H. Criminal Enforcement
I. Federal Enforcement
J. Legal Fees
X. Obtaining Information: Hotlines and Whistleblower Protection
A. Ethics Commission Initiative
B. Hotlines
C. Whistleblower Protection
D. Official Protection
XI. Ethics Reform
A. Scandals
B. Origin Stories
C. Forms of Reform
D. Good Government Organizations
E. Doing the Work of Ethics Reform
F. Obstacles to Reform
G. Nontraditional Ethics Reform
H. Regional Ethics Reform
I. State Ethics Reform
XII. Ethics Environments
A. Healthy Ethics Environments
B. Poor Ethics Environments
C. Improving an Ethics Environment
XIII. Obstacles to Overcome
A. Incompetence
B. Misunderstanding
C. Helplessness, Fear, and Feelings of Victimization
D. Blind Spots
E. Misplaced Loyalty
F. Partisanship
G. Intimidation
H. Logical Fallacies
I. Confusion of Person and Office
J. Demand for Retribution
K. Demand for Expertise on Boards
L. Earmarks and Slush Funds
M. Charities
N. Non-Functioning Ethics Commissions
O. Backsliding
P. SLAPP Suits
Q. Complainant Penalties and Legal Fees
R. Local Government Attorneys
S. Independent Agencies
T. The Legislative Immunity Defense
Appendix 1. Special Conflict Provisions
Appendix 2. Online Ethics Training and Information Materials
Books of Interest
Glossary
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
203-859-1959
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