Alabama made the Top 10 list last year—not for the greatest reduction in high school dropouts, lowest unemployment rates or highest number of jobs created. We ranked number 10 in the country for the highest number of corrupt officials per capita. Based on corruption we’ve seen at the local, state and national levels, it’s not surprising that virtually all the 2010 candidates have ethics as a plank in their campaign platforms. Candidate forums have included discussions about strengthening ethics laws, tightening reporting requirements, lowering lobbyist’s gift thresholds and escalating the authority of the Ethics Commission by granting the power to subpoena records. Each of these proposals would certainly help in rebuilding citizen confidence in government, but they don’t strike at the root cause of corruption.
The root of political corruption is that public servants have forgotten they are elected to serve. Voters elect representatives who they believe will act in their best interest. Families place hard-earned tax dollars into the hands of those elected officials and empower them to make major decisions. Over the past several years, we have sadly witnessed how this power and privilege have been repeatedly abused. In some cases, as we’ve seen with the Jefferson County sewer debacle, these breaches of public trust have far-reaching, devastating impacts—not only to the citizens of one county, but to our entire State.
It’s important to note that each of these officials charged with and found guilty of corruption were not found guilty under the gubernatorial candidates’ proposed ethics platforms, but under existing state and federal laws. Most of those convicted knew the law, understood the law and chose to break the law. The intentional decision to break the laws of the land often rests with a cynical calculation of the likelihood of whether they will be prosecuted or not. This is called accountability, and it’s the most difficult part of ethics reform to enforce.
True accountability, holding people responsible for their actions, comes in two parts: reporting and prosecuting violations. Firstly, we need to have expectations that people will report wrongdoing and support them when they do. Secondly, without subpoena rights, the Ethics Commission is powerless to do their job. We also need federal, state and local law enforcement officials who are committed to prosecute violations.
For some public officials, the reporting of violations is the most difficult task. It often means reporting violations by department staff, which some perceive as a negative reflection on their own management and oversight abilities. If not reported, however, it means sweeping illegal actions under the rug to save face or embarrassment. Reporting violations can be even more difficult when involving a colleague, a supervisor, a member of the same political party or a long-time friend. The pressure is toward loyalty over obedience, which creates serious challenges in seeking true ethics reform.
The second, and equally if not more important, ethics concern is that of transparency. Americans were sold a bill of goods with the promised ‘change’ in the integrity of our officials. Ninety percent of the US Senate—Republicans and Democrats alike—has been left out of discussions on healthcare reform. Transparency is not ten percent of the people holding discussions behind closed doors. Transparency is at the heart of concerns on the state level, as well. Government is not ‘transparent’ when a subpoena has to be issued to determine how and where $13 million of taxpayer money is being spent. As Governor, I will push for real change—real transparency—real reform. I will work to restore trust and ensure that the growing concerns of ‘change’ brought forth by President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the growing list of czars is not replicated in our great State.
While accountability may be the hardest to reform, it is also the area our public servants can have the greatest impact. It is through leading by example that we will create an environment where public servants are held accountable for personal actions, but are also expected to report violations they encounter and are commended for their courage.
I commit to implement the same ethics and integrity pledge as Governor that I made as a former cabinet member As head of Alabama’s largest grant managing agency, I signed and served this state under the following oath. “I pledge by my actions to always reflect first and foremost what is in the best interest of the State of Alabama and her taxpayers.” We ask our public servants to do no more than to uphold this oath, and our people deserve no less.