California Senate takes 'ethics refresher course' Wednesday (because of shoulder-fired missiles)

ABC Local ^ | 4/23/14 | Elex Michaelson

[Libloather]

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The California State Senate held an "ethics refresher course" for its members after federal indictments were issued against two senators and a third was convicted. Senate leaders are hoping to regain the public's trust.

The purpose of the course is to teach members and their staffs to avoid potentially compromising situations. It's the latest in a series of moves by senate leaders aimed at putting political distance between them and their colleagues facing criminal charges.

The leader of California's state senate stopped all regular business on Wednesday so everyone could go "back to school" in a sense: ethics school.

[Libloather]

"We appreciate the opportunity just to go back to the basics, to re-establish what the rules are," said state Senate Minority Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar).

These idiots make the rules, don't know the rules and couldn't care less if they did. It'll happen again.

[South40]

3 dems have been CONVICTED of felonies. One was convicted of EIGHT felonies. But other Kalifornia dems have circled the wagons around them.

Anderson and three other senators tried to get expulsion put to a vote. They were rebuffed by Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

[stormhill]

From the article:

The senate recently suspended three Democratic members in the wake of corruption allegations.

Longtime gun control advocate Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) is charged with trafficking the same guns he was trying to regulate in exchange for thousands in campaign cash.

Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) allegedly accepted more than $60,000 in bribes to support legislation.

Roderick Wright (D-Los Angeles) was convicted of voter fraud and perjury for lying about his residence. His sentencing is set for next month.

Those three members insist they're not guilty, refuse to resign and continue to receive full pay.

Yeah, OK. I guess felonies, corruption and possible treason qualify as ethics violations.

[Truth29]

So they need an ethics course to know that gunrunning is a problem?

[livius]

They needed an “ethics refresher course” to know that contracting with an international arms smuggler to sell stolen missile launchers in the US was unethical? Not to mention criminal?

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

My experience with “Ethics Training” courses which are mandataed yearly for us Feds is they’re a joke. You cannot train morality and ethics into someone without core values. And you’re wasting everybody’s time trying to teach ethics to someone who knows right from wrong. Messing about with case studies and memorizing which exception to which paragraph of an ethics law is insulting and boring.

TC

[SunkenCiv]

Ethics, yeah, good one.

• CA Dems block expulsion of legislator convicted of 8 felonies: Protecting the supermajority.

Thanks Libloather.

[SunkenCiv]

Well put!

[vette6387]

“Those three members insist they’re not guilty, refuse to resign and continue to receive full pay.”

Yee (Chinese), Calderon (Hispanic), Wright (Black). Isn’t this diversity $hit wonderful! Coming to your state, sooner rather than later.

[Vaduz]

California Mafia + ethics course = LOL

[stormhill]

Isn’t this diversity $hit wonderful!

Can't make up my mind; I'm laughing on the outside and weeping inside.

[vette6387]

“Isn’t this diversity $hit wonderful!
Can’t make up my mind; I’m laughing on the outside and weeping inside.”

Sorry, should have used a sark tag!