Grand Jury Slams Texas Ethics Commission

The 390th Travis County Grand Jury has issued a two page report criticizing the Texas Ethics Commission. This Grand Jury has spent the last eight months investigating public corruption. The report says public officials in Texas are able to hide sources of income and conflicts of interest by simply calling themselves "consultants". Because of this, at least one investigation into "obvious misconduct" by a state official was thwarted [they did not name the official].

The Grand Jury said in its report, "We have become aware, then outraged by the 'loopholes' and 'vagueness' which seem to be common for self-serving legislative laws and codes." They went on to say, "It is incredible that the District Attorney's office is thwarted in their efforts to prosecute public officials because they are allowed to hide behind the lax and vague codes of the Texas Ethics Commission. In light of the fact that the oversight power of this commission has been granted, and is in the hands of legislative appointees, we question whether it is really an independent, non-partisan, and effective agent for the enforcement of public officials." The report concluded that the Texas Legislature should seriously consider doing away with the commission. It called the commission a "waste of taxpayers' money".

The unnamed official with "obvious misconduct", told the Grand Jury that the Ethics Commission told him he did not have to list the sources of his income as long as he put "consultant" on his disclosure form. The Executive Director of the Ethics Commission appeared before the Grand Jury and verified that this was true.

I must admit that this confuses me. Exactly what is the point of a "disclosure form" if no one has to disclose anything on it? Was it just a public relations move to make the voters think something had been done? The Grand Jury is absolutely right. If the commission will not require full disclosure, Texas should stop wasting the taxpayers' money and eliminate the commission. As Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice said, "Clearly, the [Ethics Commission] is designed to be a toothless watchdog when it comes to enforcement."