Evanston City Council candidates trade ethics barbs
An article from the Chicago Tribune detailed the ethics barbs traded by both candidates vying to represent Evanston’s 6th Ward. RFI Board President David Melton shared his personal opinion on whether elected officials who are also employed as lobbyists can avoid conflicts of interest.
“Speaking for myself, I don’t think that mixing a lobbyist career with an elected political career is a good idea. The potential for conflicts of interest are simply too great,” Melton said in an email to Pioneer Press. “However, this can pose a practical problem for elected officials whose official duties are only part-time, so some exceptions may be warranted, if buttressed with sufficient other protections.”
He emphasized that, while RFI does not have an official stance, we generally “support greater limitations on lobbyists.”
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