Ethics Articles

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Talking Turkey: A Case Study on Government Ethics

When a mayor participates in soliciting donations for a local foodbank, is he giving merchants the impression that they can't say no?
Judy Nadler

Ethics and Lobbying in Washington and at the State Level

The vice president for government affairs at Applied Materials outlines an agenda for ethical and effective lobbying.
Gary Fazzino

When Official Roles Conflict

A set of case studies on conflicts of interest for local officials

Whom Do I Represent? Local and Regional Public Service

A case study of a councilmember serving on the county transit board
Judy Nadler

Serving the Greater Good: A Conflict Between Local and State Responsibilities

A case study of a councilmember invited to serve on a statewide task force
Judy Nadler

Successfully Serving as a City Council Member and a Non-profit Board Member

Three brief cases illustrating conflicts between non-profit and public service
Robin Lowe, Judy Nadler, Eric Vail

When Doing Good May Be Doing Wrong

Four scenarios on potential conflicts between public service and work with non-profits
Judy Nadler

Serving Two Masters: Discussion of the Cases

Responses to cases illustrating conflicts of interest

Serving Two Masters: Government and Non-Profit Service

LeeAnn Pelham, executive director of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, looks at potential conflicts of interest.

Setting the Stage for Problems

Should a public official solicit charitable contributions from businesses that are under his supervision?
Roey Rahmil

Favoritism, Cronyism, and Nepotism

An introduction to the ethical issues presented by favoritism in government.
Judy Nadler and Miriam Schulman

Conflicts of Interest in Government

An introduction to the ethical dilemmas posed by conflicts of interest in the public sphere.
Judy Nadler and Miriam Schulman

The Case of the Friendly Consultant

A mayor wonders whether a friendly lunch is actually an occasion for lobbying.
Judy Nadler

Lobbying Ethics

An introduction to the ethical considerations in lobbying the government
Judy Nadler and Miriam Schulman

Home Run or Foul Ball

What are the ethical issues to consider when a city manager is dealing with city contracts?
Judy Nadler

Ethics and Public Contracting

Conflicts of interest in public contracting cost public confidence.
Judy Nadler

A Tale of Two Downtowns

How should a Vietnamese-American councilmember balance the needs of his own ethnic group and the needs of other segments of the community?
Judy Nadler

Alice Hayes and Affordable Housing

A new city councilmember must weigh the community's need for affordable housing with the desire to preserve open space.
Judy Nadler

Business as Usual

A retired city engineer goes back to work for the city as an independent contractor. When he bids for a job, a councilmember raises questions.
Judy Nadler

Old Friends and Conflicts of Interest

How do relationships with "old friends" change when someone is elected to public office?
Judy Nadler