Morgan: Taking on a thankless job (The Journal Record Monthly Column - December 2013)

Commendations are due to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission and its new executive director, Lee Slater, for taking on the thankless job of reviewing and revamping Oklahoma’s pitiful ethics rules.

Anyone who has had experience with the current rules knows they are woefully outdated, riddled with gaping holes and incomprehensible and unwieldy for many people. That makes them difficult if not impossible to enforce and not at all transparent. In some instances, they even run contrary to existing case law.

Slater, an attorney with years of experience dealing with the problems caused by these rules, has nobly taken on this task with zeal. Wisely, he has publicly sought input from all parties affected by the rules, including candidates, elected officials, lobbyists, legislative staff, state agencies, the media and advocates for reform.

While the rules are still in draft form, it’s clear the commission is being guided by a few important principles. The public needs and deserves a transparent political system that discloses information pertinent to the formation of public policy. Simplification is also an important goal. Candidates for public service shouldn’t have to hire an attorney and an accountant to interpret confusing rules just to participate in our government. Similarly, professional government affairs specialists should be able to clearly understand what is appropriate and inappropriate.

Better written rules should bring about more compliance since it is easier to follow rules you can understand. They will also enable the commission to investigate egregious violators rather than being inundated with technical complaints caused by complex and poorly written rules. Ultimately, it’s an issue of fairness for all involved in the political process.

It is too early to tell whether the commissioners and Slater will succeed, but everyone involved deserves our gratitude. Rather than make a few cosmetic changes, they are instead diving into the more arduous, comprehensive approach to reform.