District Ethics: Then and Now
Mayor Vince Gray announced that his cabinet members will sign an "ethics pledge" today at their monthly meeting.
The pledge is pretty boilerplate stuff:
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
No wait, that's the Boy Scout Oath. The mayor's pledge includes promises from Gray's senior officials to avoid using their public jobs to make themselves privately rich, declining gifts from businesses with ties to District government, protecting confidential information from "misuse," and disclosing waste and abuse.
“Government employees are public servants and guardians of the public trust,” Gray said in a statement. “This pledge outlines and underscores my administration’s commitment to ethical and conscientious government.”
Gimmicky P.R. move? Sure, but what can it hurt.
It's worth noting that when former Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry was in charge, city employees could see a similar set of instructions similar to posted on bulletin boards in city government buildings (h/t: Nelson Rimensnyder). Barry's rules include prohibitions against "using public office for private gain," accepting gifts that were "intended to influence," and misusing private information.
Gray's pledge:
Barry's "integrity standards:"
Photo by Darrow Montgomery
4:58 pm
Reminds me of Chris Rock:
"What do you want, a cookie?! You're not supposed to go to jail, you low-expectation-having motherfucker!"
6:05 pm
One for the money
Two to get ready
Three for the show
Four and above make up your own shit like we did when I
was a child in DC during the 60's and 70's.
8:25 pm
Gotta love number 6: "Acting impartially by avoiding giving preferential treatment to anyone."
Did one city sign this one? If so, it's time to lead by example and sanction himself.
Pathetic drivel.
7:55 am
What a waste of time. Who had the bright idea to call everyone together and make them sign an ethics pledge? What a waste time and what a great way to say that your cabinet has a bunch of losers.
8:55 am
Oooh! Legal footnotes! Well that makes all the difference!
11:00 am
If he vetted his cabinet members properly before they were hired this would not be necessary. Just another let's pretend I am doing the right thing and I know how to play the role of Mayor.
11:00 am
The "ethics pledge" is the same as Barry's poster because both of them are based on existing ethics regulations. Take a look at Chapter 18 of the D.C. Personnel Rules, D.C. Code of Employee Conduct.These have been around a long time, and it is actually a good idea to remind employee's of these rules.
11:10 am
LOL'z. One City, many punchlines. How long before we can rid ourselves of this tired old man?
11:30 am
A pledge?????????
12:17 pm
Need to Add a #11:
Numbers 1 through 10 notwithstanding, I will always conduct myself to the same ethical standards as the Mayor and Councilmen who lead this great city.
1:21 pm
The irony is that Gray is only doing to this appease the unappeasable. I certainly didn't need the ethics stunt. But his detractors have asked for what they now criticize
4:04 pm
PUNCHLINES?
PATHETIC DRIVEL?
BELITTLING RAISING STANDARDS AND BRINGING AWARENESS TO ETHICS? THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT SOME FOLKS IN THIS ADMIN AND IN THE PREVIOUS ADMIN SEEMED TO HAVE FORGOTTEN!
EVEN THE AUTHOR OF THIS SORRY ASS PIECE MINIMIZED THE JOBS THAT WERE CREATED THE RIGHT WAY THRU THIS MAYOR’S WORK. SO THAT HE CAN PANDER TO ALL YALL NAYSAYERS WHO ARE NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF FAKE ASS FOLK WHO ARE WISHING FOR FAILURE JUST TO SAY “I TOLD YOU SO”.
WHY DONT YOU TAKE YOUR FIXIES, YOUR VOTING FOR OBAMA JUST BECAUSE HE IS BLACK, YOUR UNLAWFUL GAY MARRIAGE LAW AND GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!!
ONE CITY STILL REPPIN’ CHOCOLATE CITY AND THOSE WHITE FOLK NORTH OF FLA AVE AND WEST OF 16TH WHO STILL BELIEVE IN THIS CITY!
5:58 pm
Just wish the city council and all the rest of the DC government would actually ABIDE by these ethics codes.
6:07 pm
For what he is not trustworthy nor accountability. He is transparent, because we can see everything that he does is HORRIBLE and EMBARRASSING.
7:03 pm
SEis4ME, I don't think anyone was asking Gray to produce a one-page ethics handout summarizing decades-old no-brainer ethics laws. I think they were asking for actual ethics.
I laugh at Gray's handout because anyone who learns anything new from this pledge is unfit to hold not only a high-level position in city government but also a high school diploma, since they had no business passing DCPS's Principles of US Government class. Then I realize that the pledge might nevertheless do some good, and feel like getting despairingly drunk instead.