Ethics legislation? Who needs that to start being ethical?
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray says he’s not waiting for the official thing — he’s having his top advisors sign ethics pledges at Monday’s cabinet meeting. The pledge is part of a new ethics-training program for all District city government employees that Gray has asked the D.C. Department of Human Resources to implement.
Here’s the pledge from Monday’s meeting:
Cabinet members will:
- Avoid misuse of office for personal gain or the benefit of friends and family members;
- Refrain from financial and representational conflicts of interest;
- Decline to receive gifts from those with business before the government;
- Safeguard government resources from misuse or personal use;
- Protect confidential non-public information from misuse;
- Disclose waste and illegal conduct by government officials when they witness it taking place; and
- Abide by “revolving-door” regulations restricting lobbying by former government officials.
Gray’s administation has been marred by the questionable hiring practices by former top aides, including his ex-chief of staff who since resigned. An August D.C. Council report found those people had engaged in cronyism and were largely to blame for the poor vetting of political appointees and for handing out salaries higher than the city’s mandated cap.
Former mayoral candidate Sulaimon Brown says Gray’s campaign staffers gave him money to stay in the race and continue his verbal attacks on then-Mayor Adrian Fenty. Brown says he was also offered an administration job as a reward for his efforts.
Gray’s 2010 campaign is also under federal investigation, as is Council Chairman Kwame Brown’s 2008 campaign and Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr.
The new employee program includes ” intensive ethics training sessions, starting with designated Ethics Counselors in each District government agency, as well as enhancement of ethics advisory programs so employees can consult with experts on decisions that may have ethical consequences,” according to a Gray press release.
The D.C. Council also is considering a slew of ethics bills.
