Ethics Training
Exercise I Ethics Training
Bribery
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Bribery is offering, soliciting, or receiving a benefit, with the understanding that the benefit is given to influence an action or opinion of a public officer or employee, party official, or voter (Sections 76-8-101, 76-8-103, 76-8-105, and 76-8-106). Bribery also constitutes a violation of federal law. In addition, under the Code of Official Conduct, legislators are prohibited from:

·      using their official positions to secure privileges for themselves or others (Legislative Joint Rule JR6-1-102(3)(g)); or

·      engaging in any employment or other activity that would destroy or impair their independence of judgment (Legislative Joint Rule JR6-1-102(3)(a)).

A friend of yours stops by and expresses interest in getting a bill passed that will ease government regulation of his business. You were already planning to vote for the bill, but he indicates that if you agree to help the bill pass, by voting for it and persuading your fellow legislators to vote for it, the expenses of the annual trip to Hawaii that the two of you and your spouses always take together will be covered by his business.

Can you accept the offer to pay for the trip?
  1. Yes. You would have voted for it yourself and urged your colleagues to vote for it anyway.
  2. Yes. You and your spouse have taken this same trip with your friend and his spouse annually for the past 10 years, even before you were a legislator.
  3. No. You may not exchange your support for any legislative measure for a benefit, privilege, or payment.