Bernard Parks Breaks Ethics Law, Uses Official 8th District Newsletter for Campaign Activity

As we reported earlier, Bernard Parks used his official 8th District electronic newsletter to advance his political campaign. This is not only a violation of the public’s trust, but also a violation of the city’s Governmental Ethics Ordinance (Ethics Handbook for City Officials (PDF)). Specifically, Parks has violated page 11 of the Ethics Handbook regarding political activity:

Laws governing political activity have been established to: 1) safeguard public resources; 2) ensure the government remains nonpartisan and neutral in election matters; and 3) protect City employees from pressure to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures.

Prohibited Political Activity

You may not:

-use or authorize the use of City offices, stationery, telephones, vehicles, equipment, or any other City property for any campaign activity