A Campaign Ethics Pledge

Usually an ethics pledge is something required of a town official or something requested by a good government organization. But sometimes an ethics pledge is an election strategy.

This is the case in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the state legislature's Government Administration and Elections co-chair Christopher Caruso and his Citizens for Real Change slate of candidates took an ethics pledge earlier this month.

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Bridgeport is a city known for its ethics and corruption problems over the years. According to a release from the Caruso campaign, this is what these candidates pledged (Disclosure: I have met Caruso and testified before his committee on behalf of Connecticut Common Cause):

Reform City Ethics Commission: Give the Ethics Commission some teeth by allowing them to impose penalties. Appoint an independent judge or magistrate to ensure fairness and integrity. Allow citizens to appeal City Ethics Commission decisions to the State Ethics Commission.

Open Government: Government documents and the Mayor's office will be open to the public. The Mayor's daily schedule and all meetings will be posted on the city web site.

Clean Contracting and Lobbyist Disclosure: We will end the abusive practices that have been rampant and promote transparency. Contracting will be done through competitive bidding and contract oversight. Lobbyists must register with the City, publish their names, employers, disclose bills they intend to lobby for or against and what groups they represent.

Change Hiring Practices: No longer will City jobs be about patronage and nepotism. Job openings will be publicly posted and City Council members will be prohibited from holding City jobs.

Certainly not the be-all and end-all of ethics pledges, but it's certainly a good start and a good idea.