The Texas Ethics Commission’s board convenes Thursday to choose new leadership for 2013. But before that happens, its commissioners will review an ethics opinion they did not agree on two months ago.
Texas Ethics Commission
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Bidness As Usual
Some Public Business Remains in the Shadows
Politicians love transparency right now — or love to talk about it. But some of their efforts at providing it aren’t clear, and some that are clear aren’t timely. Some public records just aren’t readily available to the public.
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Bidness As Usual
Lobbyists Who Dine From Both Sides of Plate
Lobbyists are competitive creatures, and don’t like it when somebody gets an advantage — like political consultants who lobby during the political off-season. But they haven’t found a way to regulate the practice.
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Bidness As Usual
Weak Disclosure Laws Keep Public in the Dark
Ethics reformers are looking to overhaul the personal financial statements state lawmakers must file. The form doesn’t ask for much detail, hasn’t been updated in years and has led to confusion and varying interpretations about what must be revealed.
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Bidness As Usual
Time to Take a Look at Cutting Ethical Corners
It’s been a long time since the Legislature took a good, hard look at its ethics laws and its own practices. With the Texas Ethics Commission up for review, a restive electorate and a herd of new lawmakers, they have a golden opportunity.
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Bidness As Usual
For Ethics Commission, Big Hurdles to Reform
The Texas Ethics Commission stands poised for change during the 83rd legislative session. But any efforts to reform it will face a challenge, because the lawmakers the commission was set up to regulate are the ones setting the rules.
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Bidness As Usual
T-Squared: It’s Only Bidness
Twenty journalists have spent nine months researching the personal financial interests of members of the 83rd Legislature. Eyebrows — and hackles — may be raised, but this kind of transparency is good for Texas.
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State Government
Ethics Commission Backs Off Plan Adding Some Investigative Powers
The Texas Ethics Commission backed off Thursday from a proposal to take some investigative authority away from the Travis County district attorney’s office, but the agency approved two recommendations aimed at enhancing criminal investigations of state elected officials.
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Criminal Justice
When It Comes to Transparency, There’s Room for Improvement
Lawmakers say they want transparency and that the public should be able to see their finances. But state requirements allow officeholders to report their financial interests vaguely enough to hide conflicts.
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Criminal Justice
Local Court Race Tests Judicial Campaign Law
A runoff for the state district court in Marshall, just east of Longview near the Louisiana border, has two Republicans slinging lawsuits and ethics complaints over provisions of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act.
