A Solution to the Problem of Government Aides Involved in Political Campaigns
Pennsylvanians have, for some time, been entertained with a scandal called Bonusgate,
which involves state legislative staff not only being used for
campaigns, but getting bonuses, which makes a common practice appear
even uglier. The ugliness has recently increased in intensity:
defense counsel for two of the legislators is accusing the attorney
general (who instituted the criminal actions) of doing the very
same thing, without the bonuses. And the
attorney general, of a different political party than the great
majority of the
accused legislators, is running for governor. Could a screenwriter come
up with a better plot to undermine citizens' trust in those who
represent them?<br>
<br>
The elephant in the room is the fact that most elected officials use
their staff in their campaigns, and often loan them out to others', as
well. The way to deal with conduct this common is not to
prosecute it (especially when it is politically convenient). The best
way, I think, is to recognize that this conduct
is here to stay, and then regulate it.<br>
<br>
There are two issues involved in the use of staff in campaigns. One is
the misuse of government resources for nongovernmental purposes. The
other is the misuse of office to coerce subordinates. To me, it is far
worse to abuse people than it is to abuse government resources, but it
is wrong to do both.<br>
<br>
My proposed solution would deal with both issues. One, every elected official
must designate a set, limited number of aide positions to be held by
individuals who are hired to work both for the government and for
campaigns. Such individuals will not be coerced into working on
campaigns, because they will take
the position knowing what is required of them. They will also keep very
careful records of how they use their time, like a lawyer, including
whom they talk with and for what general purpose. This information will
be public. For all the hours they work for campaigns, the relevant
campaign will pay them. For all the hours they work for the government,
the government will pay them. Unlike other staff, they will work on an
hourly basis, with a cap.<br>
<br>
Once this setup has been established, ethics commissions (and
prosecutors, where such misconduct is treatly criminally) should very
strictly enforce coercion of subordinate and misuse of government
resource provisions. There will be no hypocrisy and less politics
involved.<br>
<br>
There is nothing more damaging to government ethics than for there to
be prohibited conduct that is actually the norm, not just in poor
ethics
environments, but in the ethics environments of most cities and larger
counties. The Pennsylvania fiasco should cause government ethics
experts to move quickly to change the way use of staff for campaigns is
handled.<br>
<br>
For more on Bonusgate, see <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10106/1050976-100.stm#ixzz0lLjz8szC" target="”_blank”">an
article
in Friday's Pittsburgh <i>Post-Gazette</i></a> and <a href="http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/04/commentary_defense_i…; target="”_blank”">a
commentary
in Friday's Harrisburg <i>Patriot-News</i></a>.<br>
<br>
For more on political activity on the job, see my <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/662" target="”_blank”">earlier blog post</a>.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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