And Now, a Little Civics Lesson : A Wilson appointee runs up against conflict-of-interest laws
Public trust in government depends on the belief that public officials are working for the good of all the people. Once that trust is breached, it’s hard if not impossible to recover it. It’s an axiom in politics, as in business, that money influences decisions. State government has economic disclosure and conflict-of-interest laws to ensure that officials tell the public their outside sources of income and do not make decisions affecting their private holdings. That way, presumably an informed electorate can know that a government official’s public duties and actions are not being influenced by his personal economic interests.
This short lesson in the role of money in politics is one that ought not have to be taught to any experienced politician or government official. But state Food and Agriculture Secretary Henry Voss apparently needs a refresher course. Voss has failed to disclose at least $450,000 in outside income during his first five years in office and is facing allegations of conflicts of interest.
According to the complaint filed by Consumers Union and Common Cause with the Fair Political Practices Commission, Voss failed to report all the income from his various farming operations. At the same time, Voss and his department were taking actions affecting companies with which he does private business.
Oops, Voss said, he got bad advice on filling out his disclosure statement. Voss has hired attorney Ben Davidian--who until January was FPCC chairman--to represent him before the FPPC, which is charged with enforcing conflict-of-interest laws. It is at the least wildly inappropriate that the man who was chairman of the FPPC just a few months ago should now represent Voss before the FPPC. More important, the secretary of food and agriculture, an appointee of the governor, must not be seen as an official looking out more for self-interest than public interest.
“Looks bad,” said Sen. Quentin L. Kopp (I-San Francisco). “How does a guy blow that (reporting all that income)? . . . I would think that if (Gov. Pete ) Wilson is running for President, he might think about an Achilles’ heel or two.” Indeed. Governor, are you listening?
