ABSTRACT
Ethics was of great concern to Old Testament authors and Greek philosophers, including Socrates, who was accorded the title "Father of Ethics." English Common Law, followed in amended form by the US Government and forty-nine states, 1 establishes ethical standards for public officials. Governments in the United States have been plagued by unethical behavior of certain public officials and employees since the colonial period. Government actions to raise and maintain ethical standards in the public service can be seen in the creation of conflict of interest laws, codes of ethics, financial disclosure acts, public meeting laws, freedom of information laws, and privacy acts. Public officials and employees in effect live in glass houses and consequently must avoid giving the appearance of a conflict of interest or other form of unethical behavior.
