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Broward County Legislators Drag the County's Ethics Feet
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Robert Wechsler
As I mentioned in a
recent blog post, the Broward County (FL; home of Ft. Lauderdale)
commissioners are seeking to have an ethics code (enforced by an
inspector general; it's being drafted) apply to county employees, as
well. For some reason, this not only must go to referendum, but must
also be approved by a majority each of state senators and
representatives whose constituency touches on Broward County.
According to an article last week in the Sun-Sentinel, things started looking bad when some of these state legislators spoke their concerns at a state delegation hearing. They appear to have been most concerned about the IG's powers, especially the power to act on his or her own initiative, with independence and little oversight. The usual politicians' fear of lack of control.
Another Sun-Sentinel article, from later last week, shows more concerns from state legislators as they voted on the matter. For instance, one didn't want to meddle in personnel issues (not relevant). Another was concerned that the ethics code hadn't been written yet, even though it will have been before it goes before the state legislature and the people.
A majority of the legislators who were present voted for the ethics code to apply to employees, but since a majority of representatives voted against it, it didn't pass. And the second vote, on an IG, was tabled, for fear it too wouldn't pass. Only 12 of the 25 legislators showed up to vote on this important issue.
According to another Sun-Sentinel article, the reason for all this interest in ethics in Broward County is as follows: "last fall’s arrests of a Broward County Commissioner, a School Board member, a former Miramar city commissioner, and a prominent Hollywood political fundraiser. It was further fueled by the implosion of a Ponzi scheme allegedly orchestrated by the high profile lawyer Scott Rothstein, who also spread lots of campaign cash to politicians."
According to a Sun-Sentinel article yesterday, the Republican representative who sponsored the measure blamed Democrats for its failure to pass. This is sad, because she was the only one of six Republicans to even show up. In the representatives vote, three Democrats voted for, four against. Among senators, three Democrats voted for, one against. Clearly a partisan issue!
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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According to an article last week in the Sun-Sentinel, things started looking bad when some of these state legislators spoke their concerns at a state delegation hearing. They appear to have been most concerned about the IG's powers, especially the power to act on his or her own initiative, with independence and little oversight. The usual politicians' fear of lack of control.
Another Sun-Sentinel article, from later last week, shows more concerns from state legislators as they voted on the matter. For instance, one didn't want to meddle in personnel issues (not relevant). Another was concerned that the ethics code hadn't been written yet, even though it will have been before it goes before the state legislature and the people.
A majority of the legislators who were present voted for the ethics code to apply to employees, but since a majority of representatives voted against it, it didn't pass. And the second vote, on an IG, was tabled, for fear it too wouldn't pass. Only 12 of the 25 legislators showed up to vote on this important issue.
According to another Sun-Sentinel article, the reason for all this interest in ethics in Broward County is as follows: "last fall’s arrests of a Broward County Commissioner, a School Board member, a former Miramar city commissioner, and a prominent Hollywood political fundraiser. It was further fueled by the implosion of a Ponzi scheme allegedly orchestrated by the high profile lawyer Scott Rothstein, who also spread lots of campaign cash to politicians."
According to a Sun-Sentinel article yesterday, the Republican representative who sponsored the measure blamed Democrats for its failure to pass. This is sad, because she was the only one of six Republicans to even show up. In the representatives vote, three Democrats voted for, four against. Among senators, three Democrats voted for, one against. Clearly a partisan issue!
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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