Government Ethics, By The Book New Booklet By Idaho Ag’s Office Outlines Laws Every Politician Should Know, Follow

There’s a lot of interest among Idaho’s public officials in a new booklet published by the attorney general’s office, covering ethics in government and state bribery and nepotism laws.

So much that when the author of the booklet, Deputy Attorney General William Von Tagen took 250 copies of it to the Association of Idaho Counties convention, he came home with about 20.

Another 500 were printed, and Von Tagen says agencies and officials want more copies.

“I think that shows they want to do the right thing,” he said.

“There is a lot of confusion over the laws, and it’s an area where public officials want to do the right thing. The more of these books we get out, the fewer calls we get from them.”

State laws covering conduct are scattered through the Idaho Code. The new booklet tells where to find them, and gives guidance on when they might apply.

Von Tagen said he isn’t aware of any instance in Idaho where an elected official took money for a vote or for an official action.

“From time to time, a public official has unknowingly stepped across the line. But the act covers a lot of things,” he said.

As an example of the ethical questions that might be covered, Von Tagen said a few years ago, 3M wanted to fly state legislators to the corporation’s Minnesota manufacturing facilities, to demonstrate the durability of 3M’s materials used to paint license plates.

If 3M paid their expenses, that wouldn’t qualify as bribery, Von Tagen said.

In an introduction to the booklet, Attorney General Alan Lance said public officials, whether elected or appointed, are servants of the people and the people’s government.

“They are not entrusted with public office in order to profit themselves, their friends or their families. Not only is this idea a fundamental premise of representative government, but in Idaho it is the law,” he said. “Statutes governing the ethical behavior of public officers ensure that public officials remain public servants.”

The booklet defines “public servant” as any employee of government, including legislators, judges and any person participating as a juror, adviser or consultant.

“Bribery” is receiving a benefit or consideration in return for an “opinion, decision, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion” in government.

Highlights of the report:

When someone serves on a board without salary or compensation, that person is not prohibited from having an interest in a contract signed by the board, if he takes no part in preparation of the bid request, the person makes a public disclosure of his interest, the contract is competitively bid and the person takes no part in the final vote.

The subsequent election of a relative does not affect the job status of a current employee.

A county can’t enter into a contract for goods or services with the son or daughter-in-law of a county commissioner. No person related to a county commissioner by blood or marriage can be appointed to a county job when it is to be paid from public funds.

The employer of a city council member can contract with the city, provided the council member discloses the relationship.

A school district or junior college district can’t do business with a company whose owner is a spouse of a board trustee.

A county employee may purchase property that a county puts up for sale, but state, county, district, precinct and city officers may not.