News City Council Members Push to Close Ethics Fine Loophole
posted by on August 28 at 16:30 PM
Earlier this week, City Council Member Richard McIver tried to use taxpayer money to pay two $500 ethics violation fines, using a city policy loophole which indemnifies council members against any financial penalties incurred in the course of their work on the council.
In response, Council Members Sally Clark, Tim Burgess, Tom Rasmussen, Jean Godden and Richard Conlin distributed a letter earlier this afternoon, promising to close the loophole some time in September.
Moments ago, McIver sent out his own letter:
Today I delivered a personal check for $1,000 to the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission in payment for the fine assessed by that body. While my earlier action to have the City’s Judgment Claims Fund pay this fine is legally defensible, it is clear that it is not politically acceptable and creates the appearance that I somehow feel that the City’s ethics sanctions do not apply to me. That is not the case and not the impression that I want to give to the citizens of Seattle.
Good. Glad that’s settled.
Translation: "Even though I it, I don't want to appear to be the kind of person that would do that."
That's such a douchebaggy way of saying sorry.
Hmm. You know, lots of professionals are required by their codes of conduct to avoid conflicts of interest both real and perceived. Why shouldn't it be the case for city councilmembers and other public servants? In their case it's even more important.
If it hadn't been politically unacceptable, he would have done it - which is still ethically unacceptable.
That attitude by itself is politically unacceptable to me. A ten year old knows you don't pay private fines from the public treasury.
Lets not forget that Jean Godden, had an ethics and elections fine for using her city of seattle financed office to run her last campaign...Did she pull a McGiver and use city funds to pay her fine?...Never mind, I forgot that she has the Senior's Demented Downtown Developer's free pass...
1. McIver should have apologized without condition for the original offence.
2. He should have paid the fine with his own money. Otherwise, it means no Council Member could be fined for an ethics violation while in office. Creating a mandate for corruption.
3. The other Council Members, if they had any integrity, should have censured McIver imediately.
4. There isn't a loophole. McIver obviously and blantantly violated the spirit of the law. (To argue otherwise is to say that the Citizens of Seattle should pay all ethics fines for accepting mediocre leadership.) And yet, he remains a lawmaker passing judgement on how the rest of us should and must live our lives.
5. Bullshit!
Wait a sec. I am not done.
If McIver really, honest to god thinks, he has a winning case let him sue the city.
If he wins he will be exonerated. If he loses it will be jail time.
Richard?
Don't you have an obligation now to clear your name?
I am totally looking forward a public examination of all Council/Contractor relations.
Wait a sec. I am not done.
If McIver really, honest to god thinks, he has a winning case let him sue the city.
If he wins he will be exonerated. If he loses it will be jail time.
Richard?
Don't you have an obligation now to clear your name?
I am totally looking forward a public examination of all Council/Contractor relations.
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