Press Release
Need to Strengthen Conflict of Interest Language in Vermont Laws
For Immediate Release – June 18, 2010
Contact: Rachel Hanish, Chair, Common Cause Vermont
(207)540-5346(c)/rachelhanish@yahoo.com
Gail Zatz, Legislative Director, Common Cause Vermont
(802)310-5805(c)/zatz@sover.net
Common Cause Vermont is dedicated to making government open and accountable, which includes ensuring that government officials are acting in the public interest and not for their own personal benefit or for the benefit of powerful and influential special interests.
The controversy surrounding the recent appointment of Jim Leddy to the Health Care Reform Commission demonstrates the need to clarify the sections of S.88 that establish criteria for commission members. The intent was to make sure that commission members have no conflicts of interest through connections to the health insurance industry.
Yesterday’s Burlington Free Press editorial described Leddy’s role as volunteer president of the AARP Vermont chapter – and AARP’s clear business ties to the health insurance industry.
“The perception of conflict of interest in the Jim Leddy appointment, as editorialized by the Burlington Free Press, strongly indicates the need to clarify the legal criteria for appointments to the Health Care Reform Commission,” notes Rachel Hanish, Chair of Common Cause Vermont.
“Furthermore, this issue highlights the need to strengthen Vermont’s laws to ensure that language related to conflicts of interest is clear and precise,” states Hanish. Common Cause Vermont will work toward that end in future legislative sessions.
Preventing actual and perceived conflicts of interest in government is critical to ensuring that the public interest is always protected. Common Cause Vermont is committed to honest and open government that is accountable to the people.
