My Book Is Finally Available (and it's free)

Anonymous

Tue, 05/08/2012 - 04:51

The book I've been working on for what seems like ages is finally
available! With the exciting title <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/ethics%20book" target="”_blank”">Local Government Ethics Programs</a>,
this is the first comprehensive resource book on the subject. The
subtitle subtly hints at the audience for this book: A
Resource for Ethics Commission Members, Ethics Reformers,
Local Officials, Attorneys, Journalists, and Students. But I think ethics commission staff members will enjoy the book the most.

I don't expect anyone to read this 831-page book from cover to
cover. There is some suspense, but not enough to get anyone but a
serious government ethics geek to plow through the sample ethics
code language. In fact, let me give away the ending, so you won't
feel disappointed when you give up halfway (Spoiler Alert!):
the culprit, advised by a member of the city attorney's office,
employs the legislative immunity defense, and gets away with murder
(or, at least, with giving a fat contract to his slim sister). 
 
This book is not a collection of blog posts. In fact, over the next
few weeks, I'll be including some of the juiciest parts of the book
in my blog postings. 
 
This book not only looks at best (and worst)
practices, but presents a vision of what government ethics is and
what a government ethics program can be. Besides the expected chapters on different sorts of conflicts, it has chapters on ethics
reform, ethics environments, and obstacles to overcome in
instituting a quality ethics program. It also discusses such things as dealing with institutional corruption, considering officials' blind spots, and the role of government attorneys in an ethics program. 
 
It is a resource book, explaining every aspect of government ethics,
linking to useful online materials, even providing a glossary of
terms. 
 
It is also a how-to book, explaining how to achieve ethics reform,
how to recognize damaging ethics code language, how to deal with all
the things officials say, even how to prevent the dread legislative
immunity defense. 
 
And it will work as a text to provide ethics
commission members and staff with the sort of knowledge of local
government ethics they can't find anywhere else. 
 
And did I say that it's free? And it comes in four formats, to be read online (HTML)
or to be read on e-books, tablets, and cellphones (PDF, MOBI, and
EPUB). It contains both internal links and links to sources on the
Internet. 
 
And the book will be upgraded and updated from time to time. Toward
this end, I welcome feedback. I can't make the best possible
resource book all on my own. Your input will make it all it can be.
Please send me your criticism, recommended additions, etc. Blurbs
are also welcome. 
 
Below, to titillate you, is the Table of Contents.
And <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/ethics%20book" target="”_blank”">here's the link to the book page</a>. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
Preface and Acknowledgments 
 
I. Introduction: What Local
Government Ethics Is and Isn’t 
A. The Basics 
B. Sources of Confusion 
C. The Moral Development of Government Organizations 
D. Why Local Government Ethics Is Important in the U.S. 
 
II. What a Local Government Ethics Program Consists Of 
 
III. Basic Conflict Provision and Withdrawal 
A. Conflicts of Interest 
B. Preferential Treatment 
C. Withdrawal from Participation 
 
IV. Other Conflict Provisions 
A. Gifts 
B. Confidential Information 
C. Representation and Appearances 
D. Post-Employment 
E. Misuse of Government Property 
F. Political Activity 
G. Patronage 
H. Nepotism 
I. Incompatible Offices 
J. Transactions with Subordinates 
K. Complicity and Knowledge 
L. Appearance of Impropriety 
M. Minor Provisions 
N. State Ethics Laws That Apply Locally 
O. Federal Laws That Apply Locally 
P. Public Administration Association Codes of Ethics 
Q. Vagueness 
 
V. Transparency: The Three Kinds of Disclosure 
A. Transactional Disclosure 
B. Annual Disclosure 
C. Applicant Disclosure 
D. Other Kinds of Disclosure 
E. Enforcement 
 
VI. Procurement 
A. Procurement and Government Ethics 
B. The Procurement Process 
C. Procurement and Campaign Finance 
D. Criminal Enforcement 
E. Federal Grants Management Common Rule 
 
VII. Guidance: Advice, Training, and Discussion 
A. Government Ethics Advice 
B. Government Ethics Training 
C. Government Ethics Discussion 
 
VIII. Administration 
A. Ethics Commission Independence 
B. Ethics Commission Staff 
C. The Website 
D. Annual Reports 
E. Recommendations for Ethics Program Improvement 
F. Public Relations 
G. Rules of Procedure, Regulations, and Bylaws 
H. Checklist of Ethics Commission Activities 
I. Going Beyond the Call of Duty 
 
IX. Enforcement 
A. Filing Complaints 
B. Jurisdiction 
C. Dealing with Complaints 
C. Preliminary Investigations 
D. Expanding a Proceeding, or Taking an Alternate Approach 
E. Confidentiality and Transparency 
F. Hearings 
G. Penalties 
H. Criminal Enforcement 
I. Federal Enforcement 
J. Legal Fees 
 
X. Obtaining Information: Hotlines and Whistleblower
Protection 
A. Ethics Commission Initiative 
B. Hotlines 
C. Whistleblower Protection 
D. Official Protection 
 
XI. Ethics Reform 
A. Scandals 
B. Origin Stories 
C. Forms of Reform 
D. Good Government Organizations 
E. Doing the Work of Ethics Reform 
F. Obstacles to Reform 
G. Nontraditional Ethics Reform 
H. Regional Ethics Reform 
I. State Ethics Reform 
 
XII. Ethics Environments 
A. Healthy Ethics Environments 
B. Poor Ethics Environments 
C. Improving an Ethics Environment 
 
XIII. Obstacles to Overcome 
A. Incompetence 
B. Misunderstanding 
C. Helplessness, Fear, and Feelings of Victimization 
D. Blind Spots 
E. Misplaced Loyalty 
F. Partisanship 
G. Intimidation 
H. Logical Fallacies 
I. Confusion of Person and Office 
J. Demand for Retribution 
K. Demand for Expertise on Boards 
L. Earmarks and Slush Funds 
M. Charities 
N. Non-Functioning Ethics Commissions 
O. Backsliding 
P. SLAPP Suits 
Q. Complainant Penalties and Legal Fees 
R. Local Government Attorneys 
S. Independent Agencies 
T. The Legislative Immunity Defense 
 
Appendix 1. Special Conflict Provisions 
Appendix 2. Online Ethics Training and Information Materials 
Books of Interest 
Glossary 
 
Robert Wechsler 
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics 
 
203-859-1959

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