Issue Position: Ethics Reform

Issue Position

Ethics Reform. Few things are more important to good government than public confidence, and that can only be attained--or warranted--when we adhere to the principles of openness and transparency. As Attorney General, I will work to ensure that my office maintains the highest standards of transparency and accountability, provide professional ethics training to all OAG employees, and make the expertise within the office available to others who wish to benefit from professional ethics training and a better understanding of Virginia's conflict of interest and disclosure laws. In order to maintain the public trust, Virginia must also promptly conduct a thorough review of gift disclosure laws, which would include evaluating the penalties or sanctions for failure to disclose. I support a ban on gifts to elected officials over a $100 threshold, and believe that the same rules should apply to members of an elected official's household as well. I will insist on a culture of transparency and accountability in the Attorney General's office and, regardless of the steps the General Assembly takes, I will institute reforms within the Office of the Attorney General to ensure that Virginians can have confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the office.

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