Designated Ethics Aides
The idea of a designated driver was a great idea (thank you,
Scandinavia). The idea of the designated hitter was a lousy idea
(yes, I'm a National Leaguer).<br>
<br>
How about a designated ethics aide? A staff member assigned by a
local legislator, or department or agency head, to be her point person on conflicts
of interest is much more like a designated driver than a designated
hitter. Like someone with a few drinks under her belt, an official
in a conflict situation has a blurry vision of her conflicts and
poor judgment in handling them. What she needs is someone who can
see the situation clearly and from the outside.<br>
<br>
Every official is surrounded by people who are capable of doing
this, but it isn't easy to speak up about a superior's conflict
situation or to check with the ethics officer on the sly and then
report the advice to one's superior. An aide designated to get
special ethics training (or, if that's not available, study the relevant ethics laws
and read at least <i><a href="http://www.cityethics.org/publications/LGEP-Nutshell" target="”_blank”">Local Government Ethics Programs in a Nutshell</a></i>), ask
questions to see if there is a possible conflict situation, and ask
the ethics officer for advice when it's not clear how to responsibly
handle the situation, will have no hesitation speaking up. That's
his job every bit as much as a designated driver's job is to drive
everyone home, no matter how much one of the others wants to get
behind the wheel, insisting, "I can handle it" in the same voice as
an official might say, "No one can buy me."<br>
<br>
A legislator or agency head who, without being required,
designates an ethics aide has come a long way toward
a recognition that dealing responsibly with conflict situations is
valuable not only to the community, but also to herself.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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