The Florida Senate wants to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Florida Commission on Ethics by shortening the leash on that somewhat toothless watchdog and — if anybody still has any idealistic expectations — further weakening public confidence in the integrity of our state’s elected officials.
With nary a dissenting vote, the Senate recently sent to the House a package of commission-related changes intended to tighten up some filing deadlines and clarify a few requirements for bringing complaints against public officers. But before their 39-0 vote, senators adopted a little amendment that says anyone complaining about conflicts of interest or other unethical actions must attest that their information “is based upon personal knowledge or information other than hearsay.”
Viewed in its best light, that means you shouldn’t make your local mayor, county commissioner or state legislator waste time and money fending off spurious allegations, just because he or she did something you consider a little fishy.