Why Did The D.C. Council Have To Pass An Ethics Code Now?
WaPo's D.C. Wire posted that the D.C. Council has passed a new ethics code via emergency legislation. Tim Craig writes:
The proposal, for example, states that council members need to uphold "unusually high standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality" and that the "avoidance of misconduct and conflicts of interest on the part of council members is indispensable." Some of those standards were already scattered through out city code, but Gray concluded the ethical policies dealing with the council were confusing and too dispersed.
In the Post account, Councilmember Marion Barry praises the ethics code as a big step forward and cites Chairman Gray for his "progressive thinking."
So the code must be full of loopholes?
What I don't get is why this had to be passed via emergency legislation. Barry's problems date to the beginning of the summer, Bennett's subpoenas are only now starting to fly. Why not let the investigation run its course and then pass a comprehensive ethics code with real penalties?
As it stands now, the council passed an ethics code without any teeth. There are zero penalities for I don't know....hiring your girlfriend or funneling money to nonprofits controlled by your cronies.
This code and the passing of this code feels like grandstanding.
*photo by Darrow Montgomery.
8:29 pm
Grandstanding? On the D.C. Council? I am shocked, shocked.
9:48 pm
Since you've been away for awhile, I'll be merciful and spoonfeed you the answer. Vince "one city" Gray is thinking about running for mayor and needs lots of media attention. Stay tuned.
8:19 am
Vince Gray has been a great disappointment.
8:30 am
CC just refuse to grow a pair!!!
8:52 am
Can we get some explanation behind the "full of loopholes" and "without any teeth"? You could be entirely right, wrong, or somewhere in between, but can we have some explanation beyond the suggestions?
10:44 am
Richard, Truth, and Skipper said all I needed to.
10:54 am
He's also hoping to get support from the Barry triple-L contingent (last, lost and least, not necessarily in that order) and so wants to throw the criminal from Ward 8 a bone. Ward 5 Thomas was also out in front on this. What a shocker.
12:11 pm
The ethics code was passed without any penalties.
1:27 pm
Ok, that may be true, and could be regrettable. But can we get a little more than that, maybe some reporting on what it said, what it didn't, where it came from?
For example, do penalties exist in the ethics codes of most municipalities that have successfully battled ethics lapses and corruption? It is my understanding (could be wrong about this) that most cities do not have penalties; they have more clear and centrally-gathered language, and what really matters is a willingness on the part of prosecutors to take action. It is also helpful to have a strong internal mechanism for appointing independent investigations. Was there anything in the measure on this last point?
1:36 pm
Joel -- you raise some good questions. I will make some calls on this!