O.C. Counsel Says New Ethics Laws Not Needed : Government: But political watchdogs contend that tougher standards are needed for county supervisors and their former employees. Reform activists want ‘revolving door policy’ addressed.

The county counsel has recommended a code of ethics that would not impose any new restrictions on county supervisors and their former employees, drawing criticism from political reform activists who say the proposal is unacceptable.

In his report to the Board of Supervisors, County Counsel Terry Andrus said there are many state and local laws governing ethical conduct of government employees. For example, he noted that supervisors and some 1,600 county employees are already forbidden by state law from awarding contracts or giving advice if they stand to profit from the contract.

Andrus also said the board has been “very aggressive in adopting ethical standards,” noting that it adopted the most stringent gift ban ordinance in the state in June.

As a result, no further laws are necessary, Andrus said. Instead, a single document summarizing existing ethical standards should be distributed to all county agencies.

But activists said Andrus’ proposal is inadequate because many existing county resolutions and ordinances exempt supervisors from conflict-of-interest rules.

“We need a code of ethics for the Board of Supervisors, and this is an incomplete job,” said Shirley Grindle, founder of the political reform group TIN CUP. “Passing ethical laws that cover other people is Washington-style politics. We don’t want that happening in Orange County.”

She said the board could correct the problem by amending the existing resolutions to include supervisors.

Grindle said reform activists, including representatives of the local chapters of Common Cause and National Organization for Women, met recently to discuss the proposed code. They were disappointed that Andrus did not address the “revolving door policy” where former public officials lobby supervisors “within days” of leaving government jobs. Activists had proposed a two-year ban on this kind of influence peddling, she said.

The board is scheduled to discuss, and possibly approve, the new code of ethics at a meeting Tuesday, but Grindle said she and her supporters will seek a postponement.

Grindle said she and other activists met with four of the five supervisors this week to discuss their concerns about Andrus’ proposals.

“We’re getting a good reception because the supervisors are very willing to adopt a meaningful code of ethics,” she said. “I have seen no resistance toward that, but what is proposed is not meaningful.”

The county’s ban on gifts to public officials followed the resignation of Supervisor Don R. Roth in March amid allegations that he had accepted thousands of dollars in gifts from people with county business. Roth pleaded guilty to seven political ethics violations, prompting intensified calls for a county code of ethics.