Ordinary Local Government Ethics News Ignored
Sensational local government ethics news, such as scandals, is online in minutes. Ordinary local government ethics
news, such as the appointment of a new executive director or general counsel, is covered
more slowly, if at all.<br>
<br>
For example, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission announced via <a href="http://ethics.lacity.org/pdf/pressrelease/press_111010_Ethics_Commissio…; target="”_blank”">press
release</a> on November 10 that its nationwide search for a new
executive director had ended in the promotion of the EC's excellent
director of policy and legislation, Heather Holt. This news <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_16729949" target="”_blank”">made it into the L.A.
<i>Daily News</i></a> on November 28, and never made it into the L.A. <i>Times</i> or
<i>L.A. Weekly</i>.<br>
<br>
Considering that the EC is one of the leading commissions in the U.S.,
and that its current director, LeeAnn Pelham, is one of the nation's
most respected figures in both local government ethics and campaign
finance, this says something about how seriously local government
ethics is taken by the press, when there is no scandal to report.<br>
<br>
Other news from southern California is that, this week, the firm of
<a href="http://stutzartiano.com/" target="”_blank”">Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz</a> has been named general counsel to the
San Diego Ethics Commission, according to <a href="http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Stutz-Law-Firm-Selected-General…; target="”_blank”">a
press release from the firm</a>. There was no coverage of this, even
though it is unusual for an EC to have a firm rather than a staff member as its counsel (the reason, I would guess, is a combination of cost and possible conflicts). Because this firm of 42
attorneys has been active in representing clients in municipal
government, conflicts are likely to arise. It will be interesting to
see how they are dealt with.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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