The Times West Virginian

Opinion

August 31, 2010

Ethics law’s ‘revolving door’ should be reviewed

For the Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT — West Virginia’s governmental ethics law — like its counterpart in nearly every state — bans the “revolving door” custom through which state officials deal with private firms, then resign to take lucrative jobs with the same firms, or quit to become lobbyists pressuring their former colleagues. Somehow, this practice seems too cozy to be desirable.

State Code 6B-2-5(h) says “No full-time official or full-time public employee may seek employment with, be employed by” a corporation that “has a matter before the agency on which he or she is working.”

However, this prohibition is evaded frequently because the state Ethics Commission gives exemptions to officials who want to breach the law.

When Larry Puccio, Gov. Joe Manchin’s chief of staff, wanted to quit and become a gambling lobbyist, the Ethics Commission rubber-stamped his request.

When Tax Commissioner Christopher Morris wanted to resign and become top lobbyist for West Virginia-American Water Co., the commission said OK.

Now the same approval has been handed to Revenue Secretary Virgil Helton, enabling him to leave his state post and become an executive of a computer firm that just performed a three-year, $22 million contract for Helton’s division.

Something doesn’t add up. Why does the law forbid revolving-door employment — but the Ethics Commission regularly approves it? If it’s unethical, as the law implies, shouldn’t that view prevail? But if it’s ethical, as the commission’s actions imply, shouldn’t the law be revoked?

What’s the point of having an ethics law that constantly is waived?

— The Charleston Gazette

 This editorial does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Times West Virginian editorial board.

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