Conflicts of Interest

Since my post on "Conflicts of Interest," I have read Planning and Zoning's Cherie Howell's post in rebuttal.

In no way was I insinuating that either Rand Wichman or Jan Gera have anything but the highest moral standards.

What I AM saying is when a regulator quits and immediately goes to work for the regulated, it opens the door for suspicions as to when that person actually started advocating for the new employer. Before, or after they left the job at Kootenai County.

This lends a negative to the appearance of objectivity, if not the reality.

A person of high position at the Boeing Company went to jail for helping Boeing while still an employee of the Defense Department. That was called corruption.

The United States Government has a law called "the ethics in government act of 1978." This act prohibits any federal employee from representing anyone that was previously subject to that person's authority, for a period of two years. That law was for the purpose of preventing an employee from influencing contracts and such while sill in a position of authority with the government.

It apparently was feared that folks in Government would lay the groundwork for the future job by doing favors while still employed with the government.(Hat tip to Bill McCrory for the details.)

I regret that I had to spell this out. I thought it was obvious.