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Institute for Local Government
Promoting Good Government at the Local Level
ILG is the research and education affiliate of the California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities.

Consequences

Treasurer Gets 10 Years

A city treasurer was indicted on 39 counts of money laundering, bribery, wire fraud and public corruption, alleging that he used his elected office and political influence to funnel money from city projects to family and friends between 1998 and 2003. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $639,000 in restitution.

Judge Hits Law Enforcement Official Hard

In April of 2009, a southern California sheriff beat a number of federal corruption charges, only to find himself still being treated harshly by the court on the one lone witness tampering conviction.  He was sentenced to 66 months in prison and ordered to pay a $125,000 fine within a year.  The judge said he gave the sentence to promote respect for the law, to be deterrence to others and to establish a just punishment.Read more »

Mayor Receives Harsh Sentence for Steering Contracts

In 2006, a prominent southern California mayor was sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison and ordered to pay over three-quarters of a million dollars in restitution.  The mayor was convicted of some 20 public corruption-related charges.Read more »

Military Hero Falls

In 2006, Congressmember Randy "Duke" Cunningham was sentenced to 8 years in prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for his role in a "pay to play" scandal.Read more »

9th Circuit Sheds Light on Elements of Honest Services Deprivation

How much of a commitment in exchange for campaign contributions constitutes a violation of federal laws relating to the honest services of public officials?  The 9th Circuit shed light on that issue in US v. Inzunza, a case involving former San Diego elected officials.Read more »

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More options

Understanding Ethics Laws

  • Personal Gain
  • Gifts and Other Perks
  • Transparency
  • Fair Processes
  • Federal Law
  • Consequences
 

Ethics Law Principles for Public Servants

(Four-page tipsheet): Provides a handy reference on the kinds of issues that ought to trigger a conversation with agency counsel or the Fair Political Practices Commission.

Understanding the Basics of Personal Financial Gain Laws

Describes restrictions on bribery, conflicts of interest and employment for public servants. Read more»

What to Do if You Suspect an Ethics Problem

Read more »

Beware of the Quid Pro Quo Request

This fictional vignette offers thoughts on how an official might respond should a campaign supporter ask for something in return for campaign support. Download video »

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