Stories

Benefits generally fall into two categories, according to John Pelissero, a senior scholar in government at Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. First, there are financial benefits, where an official takes an action that directly profits them, like approving a government contract for a firm they own or changing a zoning designation on a property they own to make it more valuable. Then, there are personal benefits, he says, like doing something that would benefit a family member, friend or social organization the official is affiliated with.

"There's an ethical duty to avoid even the appearance of a conflict," Pelissero says.

John Pelissero, senior scholar, quoted by North Coast Journal.