150 Ore. Public Officials Resign to Avoid Tougher Ethics Laws
Lawmakers in Oregon are bewildered by a mass of resignations, up to 150 public officials, mostly in the state’s rural areas. It turns out the resignations may be tied to new, tougher ethics laws that require even lower level public officials to file disclosure forms that can be accessed by the public.
The lawmakers will look at how they should respond to concerns about the new legislation, which was intended to promote open government. The overhaul was the first for the state since 1974 when Oregon voted to create a state ethics commission, the Oregonian reports.
The paper reports that the legislation rewrite was prompted by a series of scandals, one involving a lawmaker jailed for spending campaign money on personal items.
Public officials in the state, about 5,500, are required to detail property they own, loans received and sources of income. They also must list their adult family members.
The Oregonian reports that most of the resignations have come at the city council and planning commission levels in the state. Those individuals previously didn’t need to file the disclosures.
