Grand jury criticizes state laws, Ethics Commission

[sonias]

AAS article 7/27
Grand jury criticizes state laws, Ethics Commission
Lax rules on disclosure thwarted investigation of one public official, Travis jurors say in rare statement.

Texas public officials are hiding sources of income and potential conflicts of interest by calling themselves consultants on state financial disclosure forms, and an investigation into "obvious misconduct" by one official was thwarted by the practice, a Travis County grand jury has complained in a two-page report.

The 390th grand jury, which investigated public corruption and other crimes for eight months, expressed outrage that lax laws and interpretations allow state officials to hide their incomes.

(snip)
"We have become aware, then outraged by the 'loopholes' and 'vagueness' which seem to be common for self-serving legislative laws and codes," the grand jurors wrote in February after their term ended. Furthermore, the jurors claimed that there was "obvious misconduct" by one official but that he could not be fully investigated because he had followed legal advice he got from the Texas Ethics Commission on reporting his income.

(snip)
"It is incredible that the District Attorney's office is thwarted in their efforts to prosecute public officials because they are allowed to hide behind the lax and vague codes of the Texas Ethics Commission," the jurors stated in the report, the issuing of which was called a rarity by one judge. "In light of the fact that the oversight power of this commission has been granted, and is in the hands of legislative appointees, we question whether it is really an independent, non-partisan, and effective agent for the enforcement of public officials."

No kidding, calling the Texas Ethics Commission toothless, imagine that!

Sonia

[flamin lib]

1. Texas only has one or two election laws. How hard is it to obey

them? It's like if you have to use a gun you're in trouble, otherwise don't do these two things . . . .