720 Strategies

720 Blog

Ethics and Transparency in Grassroots: Do We Really Need a Code of Conduct?

Tue, June 2nd, 2009 by Anne Darconte | 2 comments

Bribery. Scandal.  Convictions.  Oh my!

The advocacy community is currently debating the need for a code of conduct for grassroots advocacy practitioners. Whether this is necessary is controversial within our own ranks. We should all be engaging in the discussion to ensure we protect our ability to continue to do our job - educating and engaging citizens on the issues that impact their lives, families, livelihoods and communities.

Why is our profession even an issue?

Over the past couple of years, the subject of ethics and transparency has become all the buzz, and it’s no wonder. Headlines abound over investigations, indictments, and resignations surrounding public officials, advocates, and stakeholders. Confidence and trust in government and our elected officials have been falling since 2000. But, this is not a new phenomenon. Since 1972, at least 79 public officials have been convicted of some crime in Illinois alone.

Unfortunately, for those of us in the business of advocacy, much of the attention (and blame!) has landed in our laps. “Lobbyist” has become a dirty word in many circles. Certain citizen communications are mistrusted by some congressional staff. And, Grassroots practitioners have become the new bad guy on the block, sometimes accused of sending non-human communications and tricking citizens into using their names as activists.

The prevailing sentiment of distrust has resulted in legislative changes (e.g., Lobbying Disclosure Act) as well as modified rules guiding the interactions between elected officials, staff, and advocates alike. And let’s not forget the impact the Obama Administration is having on this subject; the White House has tightened the rules for federal official contact with registered lobbyists and other persons of influence. Hmmmm…don’t these lobbyists represent citizens and their interests?

In my opinion, we are facing a real life challenge articulated by the proverb, “one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel.”

These unsavory players are not the majority, but the few. Let’s face it. This is how our democratic process has always worked. Politicians respond to scandal and the public outcry often accompanying it, by passing laws that address the wrongdoings of a few. This is a crude response for addressing these small number of scandals.

So do we need a code of conduct? We all know that the first rule of politics is, “perception is reality.” Then what is the harm in us creating and agreeing to abide by a professional code of conduct? By removing the objections to such a credo, aren’t we simply implying that not only do we operate ethically, but that we hold our fellow grassroots advocacy professionals to that standard?

Don’t be fooled. In developing such a code, the devil is in the detail. For example, should the technology for the delivery of electronic correspondence to Congress be required to aggregate messages by issue? Or how would such a code of conduct be enforced?

To date, members of several advocacy-oriented organizations have participated in this discussion on a possible code of conduct and some of the relevant issues for creating and enforcing it. Some of these include the Public Affairs Council, American League of Lobbyists, Congressional Management Foundation, Sunlight Foundation, Association of Political and Public Affairs Professionals, and the Grassroots Forum.

Are you participating in this conversation yet? If not, don’t complain if you do not like the outcome. After all, I ask you - If we, as grassroots professionals, cannot create a buzz of our own on this issue, then what does that say about our professional capabilities?

Comments