ethics

"There was something slightly hypocritical in Ruth Marcus's column on the ethics cases pending before Congress ["House of entitlement," op-ed, Aug. 4]. She acknowledged the public "misperception" that "most lawmakers" are "heedless of ethics rules." Yet The Post and others in the media perpetuate that myth."

In a May 11, 2010 guest column in Roll Call, titled "Mistrust Unavoidable in Grass-Roots Efforts," (subscription required) Amy Showalter and Kelton Rhoads asserted that efforts among grassroots practitioners to develop a "code of ethics" or "code of conduct" were unnecessary.

CMF has been working on this issue for several years. Through extensive research, we believe that it is possible for grassroots advocacy campaigns that adhere to a voluntary code of ethics to engender the trust that the vast majority of them deserve. Perhaps the biggest benefit of a code of ethics would be the ability for ethical, best-practice practitioners to distinguish themselves and their campaigns from those that seek to influence policy at any cost, ethical or not.

Managing Ethics

DO's...

• Do understand that some actions fall into the “gray area” of ethics — the gap between being in technical compliance with the rules and meeting the public’s and media’s expectations for public officials.

• Do reduce the likelihood of ethical breaches by developing clear written policies on how staff should handle common ethical issues.

• Do recognize that the Member sets the ethical tone in the office. The way the Member balances competing ethical and political concerns will set an example for the staff’s behavior.

• Do examine every ethics rule with an eye to understanding its underlying principle. Knowing these basic, fundamental principles will help you navigate situations as they arise.

• Do be aware of the five areas where you may be at greatest risk of a breach of ethics:

1. 1. inappropriate behavior.
   2. balancing official duties with campaign and political work.
   3. meals and travel.
   4. handling family members and campaign contributors.
   5. the extent to which you can assist constituents with problems they are having with federal agencies.

DON'Ts...

• Don't ignore new and higher standards for ethical behavior. If you are guilty of only the “appearance of impropriety,” there can be an outcry from the public and media.

• Don't assume that smart, honest people will always make correct ethical judgments. Most ethical judgments rest on an individual’s ability to weigh competing values.

• Don't forget to check with the ethics committees early and often with any questions. Committee staff can discuss the relevant rules, laws and underlying ethical principles with you on a confidential basis.

Details

Copyright 2020, Congressional Management Foundation
Paperback/Softcover: 312 pages
Publisher: Congressional Management Foundation; 17^th edition (November 3, 2020)
ISBN: 978-1-930473-24-9
Dimensions: 7.5 x 9.25 inches

• Download the entire book in PDF: Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide - 117th Congress Edition(2.6 MB)

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