It's refreshing when an elected official attacks government ethics
head-on. This is what Tennessee state representative Willie "Butch"
Borchert did in an impromptu speech yesterday, according to <a href="http://www.wreg.com/sns-ap-tn-xgr--ethicscommission-borchert,0,4377566…; target="”_blank”">an
Associated Press report</a>.<br>
<br>
He wants to do away with the state ethics commission altogether,

Politics may be local for politicians, but is it for citizens? The <a href="http://ilcampaign.org/PDF/Jan09Poll.pdf&quot; target="”_blank”">2009 Joyce Foundation
Illinois Survey</a> shows that in January the people of Illinois were
more concerned about corruption in government than about the economy.
Last January only 49% of those polled were extremely concerned about
corruption; now 61% are (and 50% are extremely concerned about the

The most complicating (sic) part of conflicts of interest is the being
interested part. When one is interested in something, not necessarily
in a financial way, it can be very hard to get the emotional distance
necessary to analyze a conflict properly. In other words, it's hard for
many people to admit the possibility that they may have a conflict and
then to determine rationally what should be done about it.<br>
<br>
A case in point involves the village attorney of Mokena, IL.<br>
<br>

The ethics provision that is probably most consistently violated is the
one about political activity in city or county hall.<br>
<br>

One argument rarely made for effective government ethics programs is
that they will prevent government officials from being prosecuted for
"honest services fraud."<br>
<br>

Rarely does an ethics commission get a clear chance to show it has no
favoritism. The Nevada Commission on Ethics will soon get that chance.<br>
<br>

On the legislative immunity front, according to <a href="http://www.projo.com/generalassembly/Irons_ethics_case_01-21-09_SID1GAH…; target="”_blank”">an
article in the Providence <span>Journal,</span></a>
a date has been set for the Rhode Island Supreme Court to hear the

Thumbs up for the Virginia House of Delegates General Laws Committee.
According
to <a href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/opinion/op_ed/article/bill_aims_f…; target="”_blank”">an

Another cause for my last blog entry, on the three lies of government
ethics, is that I had just
finished F. G. Bailey's book <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prevalence-Deceit-F-G-Bailey/dp/0801497736/ref=sr…; target="”_blank”">The
Prevalence of Deceit</a></span> (Cornell, 1991). The book is about the

Everyone knows the three lies jokes. Every topic has its three lies,
and the third one is the punch line. Unfortunately, in government
ethics there aren't any punch lines, but there are lies, or at least
common rhetoric that isn't true, what I will refer to as "untruths."
Those who believe in effective government ethics programs need to be
ready to respond to them when they arise.<br>
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