Misuse of Office/Special

Two types of independence often clash when it comes to government ethics. It is important that government ethics programs be administered by independent commissions. But independent agencies often do what they can not to be subject to a local government ethics commission.

It is clear which sort of independence is more important, but independent agencies still put their interest in self-regulation ahead of the public's interest in an effective, trustworthy ethics program. This has...

Without giving it any thought, it would be hard to think of a better fit than a city politician running the local chamber of commerce. After all, the goals of a chamber of commerce and of a city government are pretty much the same:  security, good government, good services, low taxes.

But when you think about it more, you realize that a chamber of commerce is not just a cheerleader for the city, but also a powerful organization that lobbies city politicians on a variety of issues,...

Some local government ethics codes include a provision prohibiting officials from acting outside of their authority, which is especially directed at council members interfering in a city or county's management. I don't consider this a government ethics issue, since it does not necessarily involve favoritism, the official's personal interest, or anyone's personal interest. It is most often just a matter of the official trying to get things done through improper channels, which is a political...

Update: May 27, 2011 (see below)

Last week, I wrote about a temporary restraining order (TRO) placed on the publication of a Wisconsin bill that was allegedly passed in violation of the state's open meetings law. However, the court placing the TRO took four legislative leaders off the complaint on grounds of legislative immunity. Only the secretary of...

This blog post was partially rewritten on March 24, 2011 after communication with the EC's executive director.

The actions of one member of Kentucky's state legislative ethics commission has undermined the public's view of the EC and of the state's lawyer disciplinary system. This case shows why it is inappropriate for ethics commission members to respond in destructive rather than constructive ways when the EC...

Seeking Order in Government
All government officials seek order, not just in the sense of law and order, but also in the sense of having everyone know their roles, their authority, and their relationships to other individuals and agencies.

Nonviolent actors seek order in societies where some kinds of disorder are taken for granted, for example, in dictatorships that have usurped authority and destroyed relationships.

In this sense, government ethics seeks...