Patricia Reid Lindner

April 2006

In recent weeks, there has been an abundance of local media attention paid to government ethics. It was disheartening to hear reports that there is a widespread perception amongst voters that politicians are unethical and that they do not care to address this in Springfield and Washington . As an elected official who views ethics as a top priority both personally and professionally, I want to highlight a few of the things we have done to address ethics in Springfield .

House Republican Leader Tom Cross sponsored and successfully passed significant ethics legislation in 1997 and 2003. The 2003 legislation, the State Official and Employees Ethics Act (SOEEA), was rooted in the belief that, while state employees have a constitutional right to voluntarily engage in political activities, citizens have the right to demand that such activities do not interfere with the employee's official duties. This separation is designed to ensure that state employees do not engage in political activity at the taxpayers' expense. Previously, there was no structure in place to address the potential conflicts that arise in the professional careers of state employees.

As in any field, the vast majority of elected officials are ethical people who adhere to moral standards and values in both their work and private lives. Unfortunately, there is a small minority who breach the moral code. In order to respond to complaints against elected officials and state employees , the act created the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Executive Ethics Commission. The Legislative Ethics Commission consists of eight commissioners who review ethics violations. The Commission meets regularly to review complaints filed with the Inspector General. Based on the Commission's recommendation, the complaint may be investigated by the Inspector General and, in criminal cases, the Attorney General. I was honored to be appointed to this Commission in 2004.

We all know that an elected official should never use their position for monetary gain and that state employees are prohibited from doing campaign work on state time, but there are more complex questions of ethics that arise in day-to-day office operations. In an effort to provide additional oversight where there are “gray areas” of ethical judgment, the SOEEA established dedicated Ethics Officers within each government caucus and agency.

The Ethics Officer trains state employees and legislators on ethics laws and is available to answer ethics-related questions as they arise in day-to-day business. The officer acts as a liaison between state agencies, the Inspector General and the Ethics Commission. They also review statements of economic interest for potential conflict.

A Gift Ban Act was also created through legislation, which prohibits elected officials and state employees from accepting gifts for their services. This provision extends to immediate family members and precludes state officials from accepting any item of value from prohibited sources.

These are just a few of the provisions that are in place to prevent unethical behavior among our elected officials and state employees. As discouraging as it is to see some of our public servants called out for violation of these standards, it is also indicative of the merits of our ethics legislation and proves that no one is above the law.

I will remain committed to strengthening our ethics laws and doing everything possible to ensure that our government operates according to the highest moral and ethical standards. As always, please contact me directly if you would like to discuss this or any other issue: (630) 466-9791.



							Lindner's Opinions
							Lindner's Opinions
						April 2006 In recent weeks, there has been an abundance of local media attention paid to government ethics. It was disheartening to hear reports that there is a widespread perception amongst voters that politicians are unethical and that they do not care to address this in Springfield and Washington . As an elected official who views ethics as a top priority both personally and professionally, I want to highlight a few of the things we have done to address ethics in Springfield . House Republican Leader Tom Cross sponsored and successfully passed significant ethics legislation in 1997 and 2003. The 2003 legislation, the State Official and Employees Ethics Act (SOEEA), was rooted in the belief that, while state employees have a constitutional right to voluntarily engage in political activities, citizens have the right to demand that such activities do not interfere with the employee's official duties. This separation is designed to ensure that state employees do not engage in political activity at the taxpayers' expense. Previously, there was no structure in place to address the potential conflicts that arise in the professional careers of state employees. As in any field, the vast majority of elected officials are ethical people who adhere to moral standards and values in both their work and private lives. Unfortunately, there is a small minority who breach the moral code. In order to respond to complaints against elected officials and state employees , the act created the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Executive Ethics Commission. The Legislative Ethics Commission consists of eight commissioners who review ethics violations. The Commission meets regularly to review complaints filed with the Inspector General. Based on the Commission's recommendation, the complaint may be investigated by the Inspector General and, in criminal cases, the Attorney General. I was honored to be appointed to this Commission in 2004. We all know that an elected official should never use their position for monetary gain and that state employees are prohibited from doing campaign work on state time, but there are more complex questions of ethics that arise in day-to-day office operations. In an effort to provide additional oversight where there are “gray areas” of ethical judgment, the SOEEA established dedicated Ethics Officers within each government caucus and agency. The Ethics Officer trains state employees and legislators on ethics laws and is available to answer ethics-related questions as they arise in day-to-day business. The officer acts as a liaison between state agencies, the Inspector General and the Ethics Commission. They also review statements of economic interest for potential conflict. A Gift Ban Act was also created through legislation, which prohibits elected officials and state employees from accepting gifts for their services. This provision extends to immediate family members and precludes state officials from accepting any item of value from prohibited sources. These are just a few of the provisions that are in place to prevent unethical behavior among our elected officials and state employees. As discouraging as it is to see some of our public servants called out for violation of these standards, it is also indicative of the merits of our ethics legislation and proves that no one is above the law. I will remain committed to strengthening our ethics laws and doing everything possible to ensure that our government operates according to the highest moral and ethical standards. As always, please contact me directly if you would like to discuss this or any other issue: (630) 466-9791.