Regardless of how you feel about President Donald Trump, there is no denying that his presence in the Oval Office brings many conflicts of interest.
From appointing family members with little to no experience in governance to important political positions to how his influence over domestic and international policy impacts the size of his bank account, the president routinely challenges our concepts of ethical behavior by elected officials.
It’s a good time — a busy and challenging time — to be a Washington watchdog. But there also remains work to do at the local level.
Florida has a comprehensive set of statutes prohibiting conflicts between public duty and private interest, as well as a Commission of Ethics, comprised of nine members — five appointed by the governor and four by the president of the Senate and speaker of the House — tasked with investigating complaints involving breaches of public trust.
Public servants are forbidden to solicit or accept anything of value, including promises of future benefit, in exchange for a vote, action, judgement or consideration of official action. They are not allowed to misuse their official position or its resources to receive special privileges for themselves or others, nor can they disclose or use information privy to them for personal gain.
A government officer or employee is barred from working for any entity regulated by or doing business with the public agency of which he or she is a member. If charged with purchasing goods, services, contracts or real estate, he or she may not act preferentially towards a business of which he or she has more than a 5 percent ownership. And if a vote arises that might affect a public servant’s personal interests or the interests of family or business associates, he or she must not only abstain from the vote but file a memorandum of voting conflict within 15 days.
Members of the Florida Legislature are prohibited from lobbying on behalf of others while in office. And, of course, preferential hiring of relatives or friends is disallowed (with some exceptions).
You don’t need a law degree, nor do you need to be a member of government or law enforcement, to blow the whistle on a violation of public trust. Any citizen can file an ethics complaint if he or she believes a public servant operated outside the ethical confines of their position.
There has been something of a disconnect when it comes to how we view our elected officials, that they are somehow rendering a service to us and that we, the people, are their customers.
But that is an inapt metaphor. Because while they are indeed providing us with a service — and it is upon their ability to serve us that they are ultimately judged — we are not customers. Not even close. We’re the board of directors, and they are the management team.
And it’s impossible to manage effectively when juggling one’s responsibilities with one’s personal interests.
If you know of any public officials with conflicts of interest, say something.
To file an ethics complaint with the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, visit ethics.miamidade.gov or call their 24-hour hotline at 786-314-9560.
