[Vision2020] conflict of interest

[Jim Meyer]

All,

In the conversations about Paul Kimmel and conflicts of interest, there
seems to be some confusion about the difference between financial conflict
of interest and ideological conflict of interest.

Ideological conflict of interest that takes priority over the public good,
though repulsive and dangerous in a public official is nonetheless legal. It
is up to the interested voter to discern ideological conflict of interest,
hopefully before the election. If ideological conflict of interest was
illegal there would eventually be only one party and one ideology left...an
unpleasant and undemocratic thought.

Financial conflict of interest means that a public official has derived
financial benefit as the result of decisions made during offical duties of
office. I am not an attorney, but I suspect that the questions about Paul
Kimmel revolve not around whether he is paid by Christ Church, but rather
whether a reasonable person could conclude that payment affected his ability
to make an unbiased decision while being a BOE member, something that is
probably difficult to prove except by establishing a pattern of behavior the
sum of which overwhelmingly points to corruption. For this reason it
surprises me that any decent investigation would look at only one specific
instance of possible conflict (thus making the establishment of a pattern
impossible).

I agree, however, that he should resign if truly--The Christ Church minutes
state, "Doug Wilson reported that Paul Kimmell, in his role as County
Commissioner, is open to oversight from the elders on certain issues." (That
is if he has any respect at all for himself, his office, or the community.)

Jim Meyer