Monday, June 13, 2011

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Nevada Ethics Law; People Cannot Vote in Conflict of Interest Cases

The U.S. Supreme Court today (June 13, 2011) upheld a Nevada ethics law that governs when lawmakers should refrain from voting on official business because they might have a conflict of interest, according to the Cybercast News Service website.

The court ruled unanimously in upholding the application of the law against a city council member who voted on a casino project near Reno -- even though his campaign manager served as a project consultant.

The Nevada Supreme Court had struck down the law, saying it violated the council member's free speech rights.

The ethics law lays out various relationships that should disqualify an official from voting, including the official's relatives and business associates.

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