What Plaxico Burress Can Teach Us About Government Ethics

There are a lot of stupid reasons for opposing ethics reform initiatives, but an organization in Utah has pulled a Plaxico Burress with the stupidest of all.

The organization, Gun Owners of Utah, opposes Utah's ethics reform initiative because "it contains a de-facto gun registration clause."

Members of the state legislature and their spouses would be required to disclose property they have an interest in that is regulated by the state. Technically, the organization is right. But the language (such as "in which ... holds an interest" and "location, nature, and fair market value of") makes it clear that it isn't about little things like guns, but big things like companies and buildings. In addition, the language already appears in state laws which have not required disclosure of the location, nature, and fair market value of guns.

Guns can create government ethics issues. In a nearby town in the wild west of Connecticut, a mayor brought a gun to work with him, and it caused quite a stir. He defended his right to do so, but does the second amendment, however you interpret it, really trump the feelings of citizens and government employees? The mayor was not re-elected last month.

Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics

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