Texas ethics panel demonstrates lack of ethics
Published Wed, Nov 29 2006 9:34 AM
Technorati Tags: News and Politics, Corruption
Once upon a time having good ethics meant more than just doing what is legal. It actually meant doing what is right. Apparently this is no longer the case, even in Texas. From the Houston Chronicle:
AUSTIN — A Texas official who receives any sum of cash as a gift can satisfy state disclosure laws by reporting the money simply as "currency," without specifying the amount, the Texas Ethics Commission reiterated Monday.
...
"The question here is whether the description of a gift of cash of over $250 is required to include the value of the gift," the Ethics Commission opinion said in part. "The term 'description' is not defined in Chapter 572 of the Government Code, nor is it defined anywhere else in the Government Code."
"In our opinion, the requirement to describe a gift of cash or cash equivalent may be satisfied by including in the description the following: 'currency,' or a description of the gift, such as 'check' or 'money order,' as appropriate," the ruling stated.
In Texas, apparently, campaign finance disclosure laws are meaningless. This is the first time I've heard of an ethics commission twisting the meaning of ethics quite so badly though.
Just because it's possible to find a loophole in a law doesn't make it ethical to exploit that loophole. The spirit and intent of the law is violated whenever a Texas official follows this "ethical" recommendation. How do you like that?
Corruption is now ethical. George Orwell warned us. He just got the date wrong.
Linked at Rightwing Guy, The Bullwinkle Blog.
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