Word: public
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...many things in the past, but "ethical" is not one of them. From former Gov. Elbridge Gerry, who fathered the gerrymander in 1815, to State Senators Joseph J.C. DiCarlo and Ronald C. MacKenzie, who were recently convicted for extortion, the Commonwealth's officials have been infamous for usurping "the public trust." A newly-created State Ethics Commission has the potential to change the state's reputation for "Old Politick." Before it can do so, however, the commission must overcome several roadblocks...
...more thorough Common Cause proposal required any public employee "with an economic impact other than a diminutive nature" to submit the feared financial disclosure form. In addition, the original bill required information on third party contacts, implying that lawyers would be forced to divulge the identity and background of their clients. Both of these unpopular provisions were struck from the present statute...
...public is very, very happy that there even is a disclosure form," L. Scott Harshbarger '65, counsel to the commission, said recently. "The form does require a great deal of specificity where there is a potential for conflict of interest," he added...
...witchhunt, the commission has set up strict rules of procedure concerning its handling of disclosure forms. Investigations by the commission remain confidential. Any breach of that confidentiality carries a fine of up to $1000 or one year in jail or both. While the files are open to the public, anyone requesting information about an official must leave his name with the commission, which forwards the person's identity to the official whose statement was examined. Some defensive administrators suggest that anyone rummaging through an official's files should also be investigated, but Brickman dismisses the idea as self-defeating...
Should legal action fail, the commission can still bypass the legislature by using investigators from other agencies. An obscure section of the law allows the commissioner of public safety to loan personnel to the commission among them the State Police. "But clearly that is not the best way to go about it," Hedlund notes, "because other agencies don't want their budgets tapped...