If you were reading the Tribune today, you would have learned that:
At its first meeting since being formed May 3, the Governor’s Task Force on Ethics Reform picked four key areas it wants to attack to restore the public’s trust in government.
And you probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that one of those key areas is enforcement and prevention:
The state lacks a way to enforce ethics violations, panelists said. They want to compare and contrast different ways to enforce ethic violations, as well as how to pay for such enforcement.
Ok, let me give the prevention part a shot…
Here it is. I’m thinking that the task force could start by suggesting to Governor Richardson and Attorney General Patricia Madrid that publicly praising and applauding those with a history of ethical violations sends the wrong message:
Embattled District Judge Larry Ramirez received a warm reception this weekend from a group of Democrats that included Gov. Bill Richardson.
During a fundraiser in Las Cruces for Patricia Madrid, who is trying to unseat Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., Richardson was acknowledging people in the crowd. A source tells me he heaped some extremely generous praise on Ramirez and his accomplishments, and the approximately 60 people in attendance broke out in applause to honor the Las Cruces children’s court judge.
I wonder which aspect of Judge Ramirez’s sexual harassment trials and tribulations the crowd was applauding? Last I checked, most folks consider sexual harassment to be unethical behavior.