Governors and ethics investigations
 

How common is it for a governor to face an ethics investigation?

It seems pretty common to me, but I may just have a goofy perspective.

So I ask you, people of GreekChat, what state are you from? Has a governor is your recent state history faced an ethics investigation? What was the allegation and how was it dealt with?

ETA: oddly, I can't find the specific charges, but both the administrations of the current governor of Georgia and his predecessor faced ethics charges. I don't know if the were charges directly involving the actions of the governor and I'm not sure of the specifics. I think with Purdue the charges may have involved a land deal and a tax break, but I'm not sure. With Sonny, it didn't stick, I don't think.

Guy Hunt in Alabama was convicted of criminal charges in 1993. Siegelman was convicted in 2007.

John Rowland, former Governor of Connecticut.

'nuff said.

I am a former member of the State Republican Committee (aka State Central) for one of the largest senatorial districts in the state. I know Rowland, considered him a friend. While I do not condone his actions, he did nothing more than others have done - he just got caught.

New York: Spitzer, check.
New Jersy: McGreevey, was there a formal investigation?

Michigan: Even though John Engler probably should have, he didn't. Current Governor Jennifer Granholm has not faced any ethics investigations. But she might, if she doesn't kick Detroit's Mayor to the curb next week.

Illinois: I think knowing the state says it all...

OK fine details: Previous Governor George Ryan is currently in jail for what was essentially a "donations for licenses" thing that gave semi drivers licenses under the table. This went just great until a van full of foster kids was killed by one of these drivers. Anyway, it was a general "corruption" thing. This didn't go through until he was out of office though.

Blagojevich is under investigation from the Federal Government over .. well.. a lot of things. Pay for play politics essentially. Rezko is involved and Blago's name was brought up in the trial as "Public Official A." His indictment should come before he tries to run for his third term. Cause he's insane.

Other governors who have gone to jail either for their public or private sector lives:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Walker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Ke...and_conviction

But as far as just "ethics investigations" those are fairly frequent in our state. Then again Blagojevich likes to just "do things" like.. oh.. move a state agency to some tiny little and town just as the state rep. from that town votes no on adding a recall measure to the ballot in November. That can't possibly look suspicious, can it?

Maryland and O'Malley been needed a check ever since he finished the job of running Baltimore into a hole.

Old home state, Mo.

Mel Blunt and his political ethics.

Taft plead guilty to ethics violations when he was governor of Ohio. He was a mess and had a cabinet of Yes-Men. Awful!

I really feel that a governor's administration who doesn't have at least one ethics complaint or investigation may be the exception rather than the rule.

Certainly, I'd hope that the majority wouldn't yield actual charges or convictions but it would seem that going your whole term or administration without something might really be exceptional.

(And man, Georgia is crazy with the filing of charges or making allegations withing the legislature.)

Mark Sanford...

to quote wikipedia:
The Republican-led SC House of Representatives overrode 105 of Sanford's 106 budget vetoes on May 26, 2004. The following day, Sanford brought live pigs into the House chamber as a visual protest against "pork projects".

He gave SC congress hell for many years, but no investigations.

I'd personally be more curious to know whether any governors under a current investigation for ethics were ever on a ticket for Pres or VP. I'm sure there are lots of governors that run into issues, valid or otherwise, but have any of them ever been potential presidents or VPs at the time of their issues?

Well, if you name the govs, I'll help with the research.

I'm guessing not, but I also think investigations are much more common today than in the past.

(To be honest, I think in most states, up until say the last 10 years maybe, the trooper in the Palin situation just would have gotten fired once it was known that the governor wanted it and a justifiable cause was on record. Tasering a kid and drinking beer in a squad car are probably justifiable reasons to fire a trooper if you wanted to. We all kind of assume it's personal vindictiveness driving the actions of Palin's staff, but if they really believed Palin's former brother-in-law was nuts and a bad trooper, it might not be that simple.)

I can't come up with any kind of investigation that has been done on the govenor of Nebraska - Dave Heineman. Doesn't mean it's not out there, but I'm not aware of anything currently going on.

Very Common
 

Ethics investigations against Governors are very common and usually go nowhere.

oh, Mark Sanford :rolleyes: I can't wait until the day he leaves office