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HomeMy WebLinkAbout91-505 HockleyMr. Raymond A. Hockley Cumberland Co. Elections Board 37 East High Street Carlisle, PA 17013 STATE ETHICS COMMISSION 308 FINANCE BUILDING P.O. BOX 11470 HARRISBURG, PA 17108 -1470 TELEPHONE (717) 783 -1610 ADVICE OF COUNSEL January 18, 1991 91 -505 Re: Simultaneous Service, County Director of Elections and Candidate for County /Municipal Office. Dear Mr. Hockley: This responds to your letter of November 22, 1990, in which you requested advice from the State Ethics Commission. Issue: Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law imposes any prohibition or restrictions upon a county director of elections from also running for a county or municipal office. Facts: You are currently the Director of Elections of Cumberland County but are contemplating running for either a county or township level elective office during the 1991 municipal election period. You inquire as to whether you may seek county or local elective office while simultaneously maintaining your position as election director with the understanding that you would resign your appointed position if elected. You conclude by requesting an advisory opinion as to the above. Discussion: As Director of Elections for Cumberland County, you are a "public employee" as that term is defined in the Ethics Law and hence you are subject to the provisions of the Ethics Law. 65 P.S. 5402; 51 Pa. Code 51.1. Section 3(a) of the Ethics Act provides: Section 3. Restricted Activities. (a) No public official or public employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest. The following terms are defined under the Ethics Law: Mr. Raymond A. Hockley Page 2 Section 2. Definitions. "Conflict or conflict of interest." Use by a public official or public employee of the authority of his office or employment or any confidential information received through his holding public office or employment for the private pecuniary benefit of himself, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. "Conflict" or "conflict of interest" does not include an action having a de minimis economic impact or which affects to the same degree a class consisting of the general public or a subclass consisting of an industry, occupation or other group which includes the public official or public employee, a member or his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. "Authority of office or. employment." The actual power provided by law, the exercise of which is necessary to the performance of duties and responsibilities unique to a particular public office or position of public employment. In addition, Sections 3(b) and 3(c) of the Ethics Law provide in part that no person shall offer to a public official /employee anything of monetary value and no public official /employee shall solicit or accept any thing of monetary value based upon the understanding that official /employee would be influenced thereby. In applying the above provisions of the Ethics Law to the question of simultaneous service, there does not appear to be any real possibility of a private pecuniary benefit or inherent conflict arising if you were to serve both as a public official /employee and as candidate for county /municipal office. Basically, the Ethics Law does not state that it is inherently incompatible for a public official /employee to be a candidate for a county /municipal office. The main prohibition under the Ethics Law and Opinions of the Ethics Commission is that one may not serve the interests of two persons, groups, or entities whose interests may be adverse. Smith Opinion, 89 -010. In the situation outlined above, you would not be serving entities with interests which are adverse to each other. Mr. Raymond A. Hockley Page 3 However, if a situation arises where you or the respective entities you represent develop an adverse interest, then you must remove yourself from that particular matter and disclose the nature of your interest in a written memorandum to the appropriate person (supervisor or secretary who keeps the minutes). If such a situation would arise, additional advice may be sought from the Commission. If you were to run for a county /municipal office, you would have to remove yourself from participation or involvement as to the particular election activities /results as to the office you would be seeking. Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Law; the applicability of any other statute, code, ordinance, regulation or other code of conduct other than the Ethics Act has not been considered in that they do not involve an interpretation of the'Ethics Act. Conclusion: As Director of Elections for Cumberland County, you are a "public employee" subject to the provisions of the Ethics Law. As a public official /employee, you may, consistent with Section 3(a) of the Ethics Law, simultaneously serve in the positions of County Director of Elections and candidate for county /municipal office. Lastly, the propriety of the proposed course of conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act. 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. This letter is a public record and will be made available as such. Finally, if you disagree with this Advice or if you have any reason to challenge same, you may request that the full Commission review this Advice. A personal appearance before the Commission will be scheduled and a formal Opinion from the Commission will be issued. Any such appeal must be in writing and must be received at the Commission within 15 days of the date of this Advice pursuant to 51 Pa. Code 52.12. cerely, Vincent Dopko, Chief Counsel