Politicians Need Ethics Lessons

* So the city manager of Orange, David Rudat, saw no conflict of interest in his wife’s receipt of $13,735 for real estate commissions from principals of Orange Resource Recovery System (Sept. 4)?

Seemingly, politicians suffer from a serious conceptual disorder, resulting in a failure to recognize, much less understand, the fundamental principles of conflicts of interest, lack of independence, and ethics. Perhaps this is some new virus contagious only among politicians?

Across town we have Rep. Jay Kim (R-Diamond Bar), who admits to election fraud and is facing fines and imprisonment. He’s sorry. But Kim won’t resign his seat and intends to run again.

Here is a simple test for political hacks, from president to homeowners association [board members]: Did the act of the benefactor affect my decisions? And, notwithstanding the answer, would the act by the benefactor appear to be, in the eyes of the public, a conflict of interest?

As an antidote I suggest we enroll all politicians that claim ignorance of conflicts and those criminals who seek to run for office into cram college courses on ethics.

MELVIN D. THOMAS

Laguna Hills