Here's an interesting case study from Hartford, CT. The facts come
from <a href="http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/investigations/Hartford-Councilman-Faces-…; target="”_blank”">an

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/the-whistle-blowers-qu…; target="”_blank”">An
op-ed piece in the New York <i>Times Sunday Review</i> today</a> looks at
whistleblowing from the perspective of whether people lean toward
fairness or loyalty (those who lean to fairness are more likely to
blow the whistle on misconduct). This is, of course, a simplistic

Two weeks ago, <a href="http://www.bettergov.org/action_policy/bgaalper_services_integrity_inde…; target="”_blank”">the
Better Government Association-Alper Services Integrity Index</a> was published, the first
since 2008. It grades each state's conflicts of interest, freedom of
information, open meetings, and whistleblower-protection laws.<br>
<br>

<h4>"[Standard & Poor's's ratings have always been] uninfluenced by
conflicts of interest."</h4><br>

<h4>"The code of conduct guiding U.S. judges is not technically binding
on Supreme Court justices. But we choose to follow it. The Judicial
Conference [of the United States] has a committee on judicial ethics
that will give advisory opinions to judges who have questions about
whether something is ethical. I always check with that committee.
... [An example of a question, answer, and handling of the
situation.] ... that’s an example of how I’m insulated by that
committee."</h4><br>

One of the worst times to create a conflict of interest is in the
midst of labor negotiations. This is what has happened recently in
San Francisco, where Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is negotiating
contracts with its three unions. There was a short strike in July,
and now there are negotiations with an August 4 deadline.<br>
<br>
The conflict involves the company for which BART's labor negotiator works,
which is itself a large transportation company, specializing in bus

On Friday, New Orleans' Inspector General, who works for the city's ethics board, sent off two
letters relating to the auditor for the Orleans Parish sheriff's
office. <a href="http://www.nolaoig.org/uploads/File/Public%20Letters/Ltr%20La%20Ethics%…; target="”_blank”">One
letter was sent to the state's ethics board</a>, which has
jurisdiction over local officials, requesting that it take

Kudos to the editorial board of the St. Louis <i>Post-Dispatch</i> for
inventing a new local government ethics term in <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-dys…; target="”_blank”">an
editorial yesterday</a>. The term is "dyscronia."<br>
<br>

One kind of revolving door that is often ignored is the move from
elected or appointed board or commission membership and a paid
position that is approved by and under the direction of the same
board or commission. It makes it look as if the board member were
using her position to get herself a nice job, and exclude others. It
also puts the board members in the conflicted position of overseeing
a former colleague, who might very well be seen to have made a deal
with them that would give them something in return for their

When it comes to conflicts of interest, is a local government
attorney primarily an attorney or a local government official? I
would answer this question, "Definitely an official." But recently
the New Jersey Supreme Court answered this question, "Definitely an
attorney." In fact, had the attorney been an administrator, the
opinion suggests, the court's decision would have been different.<br>
<br>
The opinion focuses on the standard for determining whether the