13 Chapter 13 Comparative Government Ethics 13 Chapter 13 Comparative Government Ethics
The US system of government ethics is the most complicated in the world. Other systems have been adopted in other jurisdictions, in some cases with more efficient outcomes. However, no system has achieved universally accepted solutions to the problems associated with corruption, self-dealing and other challenges to effective government, whether in liberal democracies or elsewhere. These problems across systems and cultures suggests that, while comparisons are useful, each jurisdiction must experiment with its own proposed remedies and enforcement challenges.
While this casebook focuses on government ethics in the Executive Branch, parallel ethics regimes apply in the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch. Comparisons with these regimes is also useful.
13.1. L. Rosen, "Understanding Corruption," The American Interest 4 (March 1, 2010)
13.2. Centripetal Networks, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Case No. 2021-1888 (Fed. Cir. June 23, 2022)
13.3. J. Waterson, “Liz Truss’s Chief of Staff Still Owns 10% of Lynton Crosby’s Lobbying Firm,” Guardian (Oct. 19, 2022)
13.4. Letter to Representative Trey Gowdy and Elijah E. Cummings, Campaign Legal Center (Nov. 9, 2017)
13.5. M. Silva, "Beyond the Scandals: The Status of the Revolving Doors in the EU,” UNCACC (Apr. 6, 2017)
13.6. J. Goldsmith and R. Bauer, After Trump (2022)
13.7. CREW, Trump-Proofing the Presidency: A Plan for Executive Branch Ethics Reform (Oct. 2, 2018)
13.8. K. Racine, B. Frosh, & N. Eisen, “We Sued Trump for Emoluments Violations. That Fight’s Just Getting Started,” Politico (Feb. 8, 2021)
13.9. M. Hirsh, "Inside the Next Republican Revolution", Politico (Sept. 19 2023)
13.10. CREW, "Five key ways Congress can ensure accountability," Feb. 26, 2025
The proposals for reform include tolling statutes of limitation for presidential misconduct, securing independent prosecutorial authority post-tenure, expanding whistleblower protections, tightening appropriations controls, and strengthening congressional investigatory tools.