Massachusetts has an
interesting, but I think limited <a href="http://www.mass.gov/ethics/web268A.htm&quot; target="”_blank”">ethics provision</a> that applies to local government board members and jobs under their board's supervision:<br>
<br>

Requiring supermajority votes by ethics commissions to find probable
cause or a violation is probably the best obstacle elected officials can
place in the way of effective ethics enforcement. This is especially true of
the probable cause phase, if there is one.<br>
<br>

<br>
<big><span>If I am corrupt, it is because I
take care of my district.<br>
<br>
</span></big>—Rep. John P. Murtha (PA)<br>
<br>
Click for <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/490&quot; target="”_blank”">more on this topic</a>.<br>
<br>

Here's an ethics story from Orlando with a good ending. It emphasizes <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/715&quot; target="”_blank”">what I wrote recently</a>,
that government ethics involves dealing responsibly with conflict
situations.<br>
<br>

<b>See Update Below</b><br>
At a <a href="http://evans.washington.edu/node/2146&quot; target="”_blank”">University of
Washington panel</a> on Thursday, U.S. Attorney for the Northern
District of Illinois, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, known most recently for
his investigation and arrest of Gov. Blagojevich, spoke about
corruption in government and what can be done about it.<br>
<br>

When I saw the lead headline in Wednesday's New York <span>Times,</span> "In Adopting Harsh Tactics,
No Inquiry into Past Use," I thought of local government ethics, even
though the article was about torture. Okay, I suppose I spend too much
time thinking about local government ethics, but bear with me for a
minute.<br>
<br>
The C.I.A. used, and the Justice Department approved, interrogation
methods that were used in American military training. If the methods

According to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/us/politics/21lobby.html&quot; target="”_blank”">an
article</a> in Tuesday's New York <span>Times,</span>
nonprofits are seeking an exception to the Obama administration's rule
that lobbyists cannot serve in areas where they have lobbied. This raises
the issue of the purpose of revolving-door provisions, which are common
in local government ethics codes.<br>

The <a href="http://www.nvsupremecourt.us/info/audio/04.20.09_53064.php&quot; target="”_blank”">oral
arguments</a> before the Nevada Supreme Court in the Commission on
Ethics v. Hardy appeal are now available in MP3 format, suitable for
your media player.<br>
<br>
It doesn't look as if the decision will be a good one for government

Once again, it has been proven that placing ethics in the hands of prosecutors can be damaging
to the cause of government ethics. The proof this time is in the state prosecutor's
opposition to the Baltimore mayor's motion to dismiss criminal ethics
charges against her, partially on account of legislative immunity.<br>
<br>

Yesterday, the Nevada legislative immunity case was argued before the
state Supreme Court. The <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/21/justices-queries-please-sen…; target="”_blank”">Las
Vegas Sun reporter</a> felt that the judges' questions favored the state legislator
rather than the ethics commission. I'll let people know when the oral