The state's new Government Accountability Board has very little accountability, a situation the Legislature must change in 2009.
The Associated Press reported on Monday that the state board created to expose corruption in government is being prevented by law from making public its findings in 22 of the 29 cases it concluded in the past year. The board is allowed to release information about its investigations only under limited circumstances, the AP reports. Those instances are:
• When a district attorney or another prosecutor referred the case.
• If a vote was taken to file a civil complaint.
• If no probable cause was found for the board to investigate, or if a complaint didn't raise reasonable suspicion a law was broken.
• If a settlement was reached.
Jonathan Becker, the board's ethics division administrator, said most of the 22 cases not made public were concluded after the board failed to find a violation or a reason to complete its investigation.
There is absolutely no reason in those cases for the board's determinations not to be made public. The Legislature must act in the upcoming session to open up the board's processes to the public. Otherwise, there can be no public faith in the board dealing with government corruption effectively and fairly.
The Associated Press reported on Monday that the state board created to expose corruption in government is being prevented by law from making public its findings in 22 of the 29 cases it concluded in the past year. The board is allowed to release information about its investigations only under limited circumstances, the AP reports. Those instances are:
• When a district attorney or another prosecutor referred the case.
• If a vote was taken to file a civil complaint.
• If no probable cause was found for the board to investigate, or if a complaint didn't raise reasonable suspicion a law was broken.
• If a settlement was reached.
Jonathan Becker, the board's ethics division administrator, said most of the 22 cases not made public were concluded after the board failed to find a violation or a reason to complete its investigation.
There is absolutely no reason in those cases for the board's determinations not to be made public. The Legislature must act in the upcoming session to open up the board's processes to the public. Otherwise, there can be no public faith in the board dealing with government corruption effectively and fairly.
