The recent resignation of Ethics Commissioner Stan McDonald has shone a glaring light on the potential constitutional frailty of the ethics law that compelled him to resign after admitting to donating to political candidates.
Ethics Commissioner Stan McDonald has resigned from his position with the Ethics Commission one week after going toe-to-toe with State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) over a proposed overhaul of Alabama’s ethics laws.
As a member of the Alabama Ethics Commission, I have let down the people I serve by ignoring sound biblical counsel of maintaining self-control, of being quick to hear and slow to anger, and of esteeming others higher than myself.
Earlier this week, the State House of Representatives passed House Bill 227, sponsored by State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne). This bill would overhaul the state's ethics law, change penalties for certain offenses, and revise the role of the state ethics commission and the appointment process of the commission's director.
Increasingly, our nation’s antiquated, inefficient federal permitting process is standing in the way of the progress these kinds of projects could help us achieve. That is why it is crucial for Congress to pass permitting reform this year.