HomeMy WebLinkAbout80-644 WoodLawrence E. Wood
Wood, Parke, Barnes & Byrne
126 West Miner Street
West Chester, PA 19380
Dear Mr. Wood:
PJS /rdp
STATE ETHICS COMMISSION
308 FINANCE BUILDING
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 17120
May 30, 1980
ADVICE OF COMMISSION
Advice #80 - 644
On March 24, 1980, whether your ownership - as a member .
of a partnership - of a piece of ground which will be rented
to your law partnership would be a conflict when you take your
place on the Bench in Chester County.
Section 3 of the Act prohibits a public official or public
employee from personal financial gain or contracting with their
governmental body unless certain conditions are met. The
circumstances you described do not fall within the restrictions
of Section 3 and there would be no conflict of interest in your
continuing as a partner and one of the owners of the property.
For your information, Judge Wajert has challenged the
Commission's authority under Section 3(e) of Act 170 and Judge
Kremer has challenged the Commission's authority under Section 4
of the Act. While these actions do not specifically deal with
the conflict of interest issue you raised, I thought you would
want to be aware of them.
Pursuant to Section 7(9)(ii), this advice is a complete
defense in any enforcement proceeding initiated by the Commission,
and evidence of good faith conduct in any other civil or criminal
proceeding, providing the requestor has disclosed truthfully all
the material facts and committed the acts complained of in reliance
on the advice given.
You may appeal this advice to the full Commission.
This letter is a public record and will be made available
as such.
PAUL J. S TH
Chairman