Watchdogs on short leashes

By Kenneth Vogel and Leah Rush

For most legislatures, ethics enforcement is an in-house affair; for the rest, agencies that oversee them are kept on a short leash

Excerpts from this story referencing "Oklahoma Ethics Commission":

"… nd duties of the commissions in those states' respective constitutions.The Oklahoma Ethics Commission and Rhode Island's agency are the only two commissions that can create eth …"

"… islature and prosecute violations of those rules as civil infractions. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission would never have been granted such wide-reaching powers were it not for th …"

"… Standards and Practices Commissions.Even the constitutionally established Oklahoma Ethics Commission, which executive director Hughes asserted is the most powerful ethics comm …"

Policing the politicians; state ethics commissions lack muscle

By Caitlin Ginley

Underfunded, politically crippled commissions frequently do little more than slap wrists

Excerpts from this story referencing "Oklahoma Ethics Commission":

"… n had a budget of $725,000 in 1999; now, it’s at less than $284,000. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission only has one investigator and one attorney among its five-person staff, wh …"

More cities offering wireless Internet access

By David Baumgarten

Bells call it unfair competition

Excerpts from this story referencing "Texas Ethics Commission":

"… ts list SBC as a client for 2005 on registration forms they filed with the Texas Ethics Commission — on the statehouse in Austin. With Verizon lobbyists also supporting H. …"