Corrupt Politicians: Watch Your Back or Clean Up Your Act

We are pleased to learn that a new bipartisan organization has been formed to root out public corruption at the local, state, and federal level. The North Carolina-based Foundation for Ethics in Public Service uses a model that we believe in: soliciting tips from concerned insiders, whistleblowers, and the public.

POGO also relates to the Foundation's guiding principles: “first, government will always have a hard time policing itself; and second, more can be accomplished if we don't care who gets the credit.”

The website explains in more detail:

Our goal is to get results, not credit. One of the ways we will facilitate investigative reporting is by receiving and vetting tips, then passing them on to investigative reporters who expose them to the spotlight of media coverage. In other instances, investigative reporters will enlist our help to dig deeper when their instincts tell them there is more to the story, but they simply lack the time or resources to pursue the story. In those cases, we will investigate further and then hand the story back to the reporter who provided us with the tip in the first place.

Since launching their website on June 13, the group has already received 20 tips, which they will vet and pass along to investigative journalists and law enforcement agencies.

When I spoke with staff at the Foundation, they told me that since news went out nationally about their group, they have received tips from Virginia, Michigan, and California on corruption at universities, in law enforcement, and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

-- Ingrid Drake

Comments

[Posted on: Jul 03, 2009 at 08:27 AM]

Great idea...however, the press and the local police are intimidated by the Judicial Branches of government and local Bar Associations, especially in NY. They are fearful of law suites. Consequently, they aren't reporting on these troubling areas. The problem is at the top where the sharks swim. These intimidation tactics need to stop. Any suggestions?

I feel NY City has over come part of this problem with the introduction of 311 on cellphones. This allows folks to report police misconduct if an officer does not log the incident. Most people aren't savvy enough or have the time to report it to their local Congressman.