Comments

4 Comments so far

1. Mike Ridgway on March 25, 2009 7:46 pm

   I would like to suggest that the webmasters add a page for questions and comments related to the commission itself, such as the advisability of such a commission, the propriety of the choices made by Governor Huntsman, whether the commission adequately represents citizens or is just a cream of the crop of members of Utah’s political class.

2. Stephen Gale on March 29, 2009 11:32 pm

   A nonpartisan commission needs to be created that investigates and PUBLISHES findings about complaints of ethics breaches. In law enforcement, if one of the units officers is involved in an auto accident, a separate law enforcement agency is asked to investigate the accident, whether it is an official car or their personal vehicle.

   I would suggest that it is not comforting to know that lawmakers investigate lawmakers. It gives the impression that things are getting covered up, and maybe they are.

3. Lola Barrett on March 30, 2009 3:08 pm

   Our elected representatives should have the highest moral and ethical standard in all their actions as elected representative, if it looks suspect they should not be doing whatever it is. I guess we need to elect different representatives because it appears the good old boys in office like to smear each other, complain about each other, forget to report conflicts of interest and neglect to pay all their taxes and so forth. They love those little perks, like Jazz tickets, love bundling to keep their names off reporting forms. They talk of ethical reform but always manage to keep in some loopholes, this year is another case in point. Last year reforming the amount that can be spent on them without having to report it, they just can’t seem to cut out the freebies! The worst case of lack of ethics in the last few years was the deal the legislature made with the public to limit their terms in office. They promised to phase in term limits because they knew it would pass on the ballot. But, as usual, when the time came they changed their mind and stayed in office. Why should the public believe anything they say? Why should we respect them? I think it would be really ethical to answer questions directly, to respond to constituent e-mails in a timely manner and respond to telephone messages. I can tell you might don’t.

   Ethics complaints should be filed and heard by an independent group, not our legislators, and the results, evidence and testimony should always be made public. The people want transparency.

4. John L. Ries on August 22, 2009 11:10 am

   I think complaints of official misconduct regarding legislators and their staffs should be heard by specially constituted ethics committees constituted similarly to the Congressional ones (equal numbers of members from the majority and minority side), with authority to make recommendations on possible disciplinary action, but there should also be an independent watchdog commission with the task of monitoring and reporting (publicly) on compliance with established standards of official conduct by all state legislators, officers, and employees; and making recommendations to the governor and legislature for improvement. That way, if the politicians don’t police themselves adequately, their constituents have some way of knowing about it.

   I think elected officials should be judged only by their peers, their constituents, and the courts; but it does strike me as helpful to have people with the specific job of checking up on them and reporting to the public what they find.