Opposing Ethics Reform Without Understanding Government Ethics

<a href="http://www.pioneerlocal.com/lakeforest/news/forum/2971664,lake-forest-t…; target="”_blank”">An
editorial
in the <i>Lake Forester</i> last week</a> questions whether the
county board of Lake County (IL) should be taking a fresh look at the
county's ethics program.<ul>

The call for an ethics committee to review Lake County's ethics
ordinances and policies sounds laudable on the surface, but the
question has to be begged:  Is this really needed? We don't think
so and
wonder if politics, not ethics, is more at work here.</ul>

No change has been suggested, just a review. <a href="http://www.lakecountyil.gov/search/results.htm?k=ethics&quot; target="”_blank”">Type
"ethics" into the Lake County search box</a>, and you find a link only
to the User Policy, Responsibility Statement, and Code of Ethics for
the county homeless management information system, and a reference to
the sheriff office's ethics policy. There is no link to an ethics ordinances (or general ordinances
at all), to an ethics commission, ethics advice, training, or
disclosure.<br>
<br>
Every ethics programs needs regular reviewing. And a
scandal involving a party leader is a common reason for reviewing
an ethics program. Why would a newspaper oppose such a review?<br>
<br>
The editorial continues, "there are enough watchdogs in Lake County,
not only among the citizenry, but plenty on the Lake County Board." But
ethics programs and watchdogs are two different things. It's ironic
that a paper that mocks partisan individuals' interest in ethics reform
wants
an ethics program to depend on politicians and outspoken citizens, most
of whom are partisan themselves.<br>
<br>
Finally, the editorial opposes an ad hoc ethics committee within the county
board because each committee can review ethics "within their
committees' purview." And how would this work? Does the newspaper
envision different advice,
different policies, and different enforcement with respect to the
budget, land use, health,
public works?<br>
<br>
It's always refreshing to see how those who oppose ethics reform trip
over their own feet in their attempt to argue their case. They rarely
show a basic understanding of government ethics, nor do they show that
they have spent even a few minutes researching the topic. They always
say things are good enough, and that a scandal is a one-off event. They
say things are a lot worse elsewhere (the editorial points to Cook
County), and they point their fingers at parties, rather than looking
at partisan scandals as an opportunity for doing something that should
have been done without a scandal.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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