Ethics Resource Repository

Government Ethics:

Government ethics constitutes the application of ethical rules to government. It is that part of practical jurisprudence, or the philosophy of law, that governs the operation of government and its relationship with the people that it governs. It covers issues of honesty and transparency in government, dealing with matters such as bribery, political corruption, police corruption, legislative ethics, regulatory ethics, conflict of interest, avoiding the appearance of impropriety, open government, and legal ethics.

Recommended Books:

The Ethics of Memory
Written by Avishai Margalit

The Nature of Scope of State of Government Ethics Codes
Written by Richard, Blake, Jill A. Grob, Donald H. Potenski, Phyllis Reed, Pat Walsh

Philosophy & Public Affairs
Written by A.J. Julius, Alan Patten, David Estlund, David DeGrazia

Political Thinking (See Chapter 5, page 134) 
Written by Glenn Tinder

Recommended Webpages:

U.S. Office on Government Ethics (OGE)
One of OGE’s main purposes is to help ensure public confidence in Government decision-making. OGE accomplishes this goal by providing the Executive branch with the regulatory framework for preventing conflicts of interest in Government work and by promoting the ethical behavior of employees in the Executive branch.

CATO Handbook for Congress- Corporate Welfare
The CATO Institute provides a strong counterpoint discussion of the ills that arise from an incestuous relationship between government and business.

iWatch by Center for Public Integrity
iWatch News is the Center’s online publication dedicated to investigative and accountability reporting. It provides original and exclusive daily stories as well as in-depth investigations and commentary.

City Ethics
City Ethics is a non-profit organization formed in 2000. Its purpose is to provide a centralized location for information and resources for all forms of local government ethics programs.

Common Cause - Ethics in the Government
This is a nonprofit nonpartisan watchdog organization that tracks ethical issues in the political and other arenas. Common cause is working to Common Cause is working to ensure that nominees to the Office of Congressional Ethics meet the highest standards, expand the Office of Congressional Ethics to oversee the Senate as well as the House, and shine more sunlight on ethics and lobbying information. In addition, Common Cause continues to monitor allegations against individual members of Congress and take action when appropriate.

Institute for Global Ethics
A wide-ranging site with sections on education, public policy, and corporate services from the Institute for Global Ethics, which seeks the global common ground of ethical values. Features include cases, publications, and guidelines for classroom discussion.

Maple Leaf Web
This website provides articles that introduces the basic concepts, issues, and debates surrounding government ethics. It also discusses the meaning and importance of government ethics, different types of unethical conduct in the context of government, and issues and debates surrounding the
establishment of ethical codes in government.

National Conference of State Legislatures
NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues.  NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies.

Transparency International
Transparency International, an international non-governmental organization devoted to combating corruption, brings civil society, business, and governments together in a global coalition to curb both the supply and demand of corruption. TI's Corruption Online Research and Information System (CORIS) is one of the most comprehensive databases on corruption and governance.

U.S. Department of Defense Standards of Conduct Office
The Department of Defense (DoD) General Counsel uses its resources to understand the ethical standards that apply to every DoD employee, both civilian and military. The General Counsel is also the DoD Designated Agency Ethics Official (DAEO) who oversees the ethics and standards of conduct programs throughout DoD, including providing guidance to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and DoD Agencies. These responsibilities are carried out through the DoD Standards of Conduct Office (SOCO), a part of the Defense Legal Services Agency.

U.S. Government Ethics Standards
The Office of Government Ethics has established Standards of Conduct that apply to all US government employees. Within the Department of Defense, these Standards of Conduct are implemented by the Joint Ethics Regulation, DOD 5500.7-R.  Enlisted members of the uniformed services are subject to regulations issued by each service.

U.S. House Committee on Standards of Official
Access to official rules and regulations covering members of the U.S. House of Representatives.