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Opinion editorials Handling of Pit Appeal Calls for a Time-Out |
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opinion editorialsThis editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by editorial page staff and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Survey Says: Forget Kittens, Reform PRC
Let's see. If four of five members of your workplace had either been indicted on felony charges, investigated for violating state law, settled a tawdry lawsuit for six figures or hired an embezzler, would you:
a. Clean house?
b. Adopt standards and qualifications?
c. Take a survey!
At New Mexico's Public Regulation Commission, the answer is a pitifully inadequate “c.” Chairman Sandy Jones says commissioners want to increase awareness of ethics among employees and toughen ethical standards. Apparently that starts with asking the rank and file inane questions like if you can accept a kitten from an entity the PRC regulates.
Commissioners — who each make $90K a year — should clean out their own litter box first.
Start with Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. who faces felony charges including embezzlement and evidence tampering after claiming he spent taxpayer-financed campaign funds on a band for a rally that never happened. Move on to Commissioner David King, under investigation for making bulk water sales to two PRC-regulated water utilities though state law says commissioners “shall not accept anything of value from a regulated entity.” Taxpayers also had to fork over $850,000 to King's ex-assistant, who accused him of sexual harassment. Then there's Commissioner Carol Sloan, who has been charged with three felonies after police say she attacked someone she thought was her husband's mistress. And finally, there's Jones, who said he didn't need to see a resume when he hired his $72,000-a-year assistant; even though she has two felony convictions for stealing $90,000 from a hospital and trade unions.
So what would the commissioners do if someone gave them a kitten? Who cares?
Jones says the in-house ethics campaign isn't in response to this litany of commissioner woe but to “unrest in the citizenry that government may not be acting the way it should.” Gee, you think?
Jones also says he fears that if the commission doesn't act first, the Legislature could mandate ethics reforms. Lawmakers should. And they shouldn't bother to wait for the survey results.
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