Re: State ethics panel needs an upgrade, March 15 editorial.
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Colorado s Independent Ethics Commission is a brilliant conception. We should foster the commission so it grows into the strong check and balance we need on government officials. It needs more muscle and more teeth, and it needs to have jurisdiction over all three branches of our government.
But to give the commission authority over the judicial branch, we must amend the state constitution. People are encouraged to review an initiative that would do just that at judicialintegrity.org. The initiative gives the commission the prosecution and enforcement power it needs in addition to the necessary funding. People need to mail in signatures to get it on the ballot.
Ethics are important. Colorado does not do enough at present to encourage ethics in government officials.
Chris Forsyth, Wheat Ridge
The writer is executive director of the Judicial Integrity Project.
This letter was published in the March 19 edition.
